Your First Time
by PandaFire McMango
Summary: This is a medley of accounts of people's first contact with the musical RENT! Read the first chapter to learn how to send in your own account. DUE DATE IS NOW AUGUST 15. PLEASE GET ALL WORK IN BY THEN! 100th post reached! WOOT FOR ALL RENTHEAD AUTHORS!
1. Info

So...here's something I've noticed about RENTheads. They like to share things about that show we all love so much: mostly opinions about things like actors, songs, characters, performances...but here's one thing that we all REALLY want to talk about.

Our first time seeing RENT.

So that's why I am publishing this. I want to hear about your first times: the movie, the show, a bootleg, whatever. I want to know how so many people fell in love with this amazing show. SO, here is how I will do it. This is the first chapter. If you want to share an account of your first time, write it down and email it to me (my email address is on my profile). I will then post it (include any information you might want me to post with your email). I really want to be able to help people share this. So, my comrades...this is your forum. And by the way, I know we have forums for this kind of thing. But posting in a fic makes it seem more open and permanent. ALSO by the way, I will take down your account if you want me to. No one is being forced to share anything they don't want to. But if you DO want to...well, this is the place to do it.

And please, do not send in submissions by review. Ugh, the nightmare of it all!!


	2. ILikeScarvesandGuitars

Woo! Anyone else love that as much as I did? And ILikeScarvesandGuitars get the prize for being the first one to send in an entry! YAY FOR HER! SHE GET S A CUPCAKE! A CUPCAKE WITH SPRINKLES AND JOY!!!!

Ahem. Anyway, one small thing. If you send in your entry, please send it in Word as an attachment. It's much easier to transfer on. Also, I will perform small spellchecks if you want me to. YEEE! I cannot wait to read more! (hops up and down in Dance-of-Happy-RENThead)

* * *

Okay, so (deep breath) my first time was awkward. And it hurt. But at the end, it was all worth it.

"Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes." I was flipping through the channels one day when I had first heard a commercial for it. The music was charming, there was no doubt about it. "…shut out our power on Christmas Eve!" I couldn't exactly make out what he was saying, but there was an urge and a heartbreak in it.

I noticed that right away. I wasn't much of a musical fan, the only one I had ever watched was Grease, and this certainly didn't look like Grease, so why would I like it?

A few weeks passed and I didn't hear or think about Rent at all. I do remember one day, in my classroom, a girl was singing the familiar lyrics from the commercial out loud. She had possibly the worst singing I have ever heard, her voice was just a little above nasal. When she was done, glass stopped breaking in the room.

"Did you see that movie?" I asked her.

She scrunched her nose at me. "Nor, ahh you kiddin' me?"

I was about to say something but I decided to leave it at that.

Even more weeks passed by and I slowly started to hear more and more about Rent on the Internet. I didn't know the story all too well. I knew a few people from a blogging website that I was joined who loved Rent and had seen it the opening week.

A girl I was friends with started to tell me about the movie. I took a small interest in it, and at the next sleep over my so-called 'best friend' and I were having, we decided to rent Rent.

* * *

The girl I watched it with was a yuppie. Yuppie scum, lets say. She was possibly the most closed minded person I have ever known. Homophobic, a Catholic girl who thought AIDS and gay people went hand in hand. 

Rent + closed mindedness bad.

We got through Seasons of Love. Kaitlyn, the girl, was singing and clapping along with it. I joined in on it, and I had to admit that it was kinda fun, and a really good starting to the movie.

We got through Rent, (as in, the song), we got through You'll See (I remember liking the bald man's shiny head), we got through One Song Glory (Kaitlyn said possibly the smartest thing she has ever said EVER: "That guy is sorta hot." We all know now that this is a complete understatement.) and Light my Candle was different. I could tell she was starting to dislike this movie because they sang in it. (Wow. What's a musical again? -facepalm-)

When we got to Today 4 U, Kaitlyn freaked.

"Is that a man? What is that?"

"Uh," I could feel my face heat up. "I think it's a…drag queen."

Kaitlyn shook her head. "What is this?"

If I was the person I am now, I would have smacked her upside the head.

I think the last straw for Kaitlyn was Tango Maureen.

"I can't watch this anymore," she said, flicking off the DVD player. The song had barely started.

I agreed, which I usually did with anything Kaitlyn had to say.

I can't really remember the rest of the sleepover, except for feeling a little guilty that I hadn't finished the movie that I started.

* * *

A few months later, perhaps, I was on somebody's myspace page when a song title 'Another Day' 

"Who do you think you are? Barging in on me and my guitar?"

The song said that the artist was 'Rent', and I didn't recognize the song from the movie. I liked the beat, but I didn't really fully listen to the words. But, my interest was quite a bit larger than it had been before, so I asked my friend if she could send me some songs from the movie.

She sent me Seasons of Love, I'll Cover You (Reprise) and One Song Glory. I found that I had a particular love for One Song Glory. The lyrics were deep andhaunting, true and full of sadness.

"Find, one song, before the virus takes hold." This was my favorite line and hit me the most.

Through the next year I was captivated by the musical Rent. Its message, its story, its creator, its characters. I started to find out all I could about it. I changed as a person. I finally got to see the movie in ninth grade, borrowing it from a friend.

The first time I ever watched it fully was on a Thursday. I had to stop it at La Vie Boheme, which was my favorite song, because it was getting close to the time one of my favorite shows was on. This seems like a stupid excuse to stop in the middle of a movie, but I carried on the next night.

I laughed during Take Me or Leave Me, cried during Angel's funeral and Goodbye Love, fell in complete love with What You Own, and finally, the closing Finale, I cried. I think I could feel the pain they went through. The pain of love, the pain of loss, the pain of change.

I'm 15 years old now, a year older, a year wiser, a new person. I've had my ups and downs, and Rent has helped me through it all. I don't think I could have ever gotten by without this story. It has given me hope for today and faith in tomorrow. In the words of Finale B: There is no future, there is no past, thank God this moment's not the last. There's only us, there's only this, forget regret, or life is yours to miss. No other road, no other way, no day but today. This is the message I live by every day.

Rent has truly saved my life, without it, I wouldn't be here today. By:

Samantha aka ILikeScarvesandGuitars

* * *


	3. The Girl of Many Fandoms

Weee! Number 2! I am so excited, you have no idea. People really seem to like this thing. I'm so glad that everyone thinks its a good idea. Anyway, several people have promised to send theirs in when they can. I can't wait!

* * *

First off, have you ever heard of KiSS Dolls? They're like paper dolls for your computer, and you have to download a special viewer for them to play with them (the best site for them is Otaku World, and you DO have to subscribe, and it isn't free). Anyway, a LONG time ago, when I first got into KiSS Dolls, I downloaded some dolls based on the characters from the movie, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I didn't even know that the movie existed, the dolls just looked interesting. So, when I played with them, I ended up asking my parents about the movie, of course. And they had it on DVD. (We still do!) So, they let me watch a little of it (I was young! I'm not telling you HOW young!), but they stopped after Sweet Transvestite. OK, so, here's when it REALLY starts...

Some years later, my Dad thought I was old enough to watch all of it. So I did. Very soon after...I discovered this site. I read tons of Rocky Horror fanfics, and they were very awesome. I remember reading a small one-shot RENT fic, and I had no idea who the characters were. And THEN, the epic discovery...I was watching Rocky Horror videos on YouTube. I stumbled upon one set to 'La Vie Boheme'. I LOVED IT. I told my Mom that I wanted to rent RENT. I remember seeing previews for RENT a long time before watching that video, and we thought it looked cool from the previews, but we never got around to seeing it. (I WISH I had seen it in a movie theater!)

Anyway, when we got it, me and my Mom watched it together for the first time (my Mom is quite a RENThead). I knew a little bit about the movie before-hand, like the fact that Angel was a drag queen. I remember when we got to 'The Tango Maureen", we were like "There sure is a LOT of singing!" The first time we watched it, we didn't LOVE it, but we liked it. I remember calling Angel 'he' at first, which is HILARIOUS to me now! I remember saying about Angel "I hope he doesn't die, I like him a lot!" And I only cried a little bit (I'm not much of a movie-crier) around "Goodbye Love". And I remember when Maureen called for Mark and Roger's help, when she was carrying Mimi, I thought she was getting hurt, and I said "Great, now my OTHER favorite character's gonna die!"

The first time we watched RENT, it was very close to Halloween, and I was Magenta from Rocky Horror, and I wished we could've had enough time for an Angel costume! I WAS Angel this year! And when I was Magenta, everyone just thought I was a French maid! It was the suck. And only ONE person asked who/what I was this year, and she asked EVERYONE! She guessed I was a 60's girl. Hee hee. I have introduced all of my friends to RENT, and they love it now (not as much as I do though)! RENT also introduced me to Wicked, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Hedwig introduced me to David Bowie, and the Velvet Underground, which introduced me to Nico! The circle of life, right? Me and my friends are planning to perform a version of RENT sometime and film it (it's not on stage or anything, it's just messing around)! So, that's pretty much it. Sorry if this was hard to follow or boring. Bye RENTheads!

By Darcy, aka The Girl of Many Fandoms

* * *

P.S. It was not boring. Be nice to you! This was great! And Rocky Horror..."it's just a hop to the left!" Heh, Time Warp rules ALL. 


	4. Kidsnextdoor112

Yay! So many people are responding! I am beyond excited image of Panda being beyond excited. Anyway, I got a lot of emails last night so I am going down the list...which means last ones first, unfortunately. However, do not fear. Yours will be posted.

And that's another thing. No matter who you are or what you write (as long as it pertains to the subject at hand) I will post it. 'Cause goldangit, if I didn't I be a censorin' little girl right there, and that's just not nice. So...YAY. Heh.

* * *

My first time watching RENT was this summer when my mom paid for those Movie channels and I turned it on as I was channel surfing. I saw Mark on La Vie Boheme singing "In that little town of bethlem" and I thought he had a GREAT voice. Then I saw Angel and I LOVED her. The moment I saw her I seriously said "OMG! THATS ONE HOT DRAGQUEEN!" Then I showed my mom and she was like "Isn't that Tracie Thoms? From Cold Case?" and then I saw Jesse and was like "HEY THATS GREEN FROM LAW AND ORDER!" and I instantly fell in love with every single song. Now RENT is my life I have everything RENT and watch it almost every weekend.

By Kidsnextdoor112


	5. GorgeousSmile

Well it started off by me catching a few commercials for Rent. The music caught my attention and I would find myself stopping whatever it was I was doing, just so I could watch the preview.

Then one day I was up at nine in the morning on a weekday, and I was watching Live with Regis and Kelly with my mom, the first guest being Jesse L. Martin.

So he came out and they talked about Rent, and then they showed a clip of him singing Santa Fe…and I was like "Oooh, Mom, I want to see that movie!"

She just sort of bobbed her head and didn't really say anything…even if she did I wouldn't have heard, because I was so into the Rent clip being played out on the screen.

So a couple weeks went by…and I kept seeing a commercial here and there, until finally one night, after work my friend and I decided to go to the movies…and guess what movie we saw?

RENT!

My friend knew a little more about it than I did at that time, because she had seen the cast on some talk shows. So she was pointing to everyone during Seasons Of Love telling me about them like: "Taye is married to that girl right there." and "Rosario is my favorite!" just little information like that…we both didn't really know about Rent until after we seen the movie.

But anyways…so then the song Rent began playing which quickly captured my attention…and even though we didn't know any of the songs we started dancing and singing…it was really fun! We did it through almost the entire movie.

Then came Maureen's protest…I froze and my eyes lit up with excitement. As I watched the crazy girl dance, and jump around before me…I fell in love…Maureen Johnson became my favorite character…the first and only fictional character I ever fell for (lmao sounds funny). I couldn't help but moo along with the girl! (Not loud though I was in a movie theater!)

As the movie played out, I began to fall in love with the music, the story line and the characters…it all had such wonderful meaning. Later that week I went out and bought the soundtrack which I listen to non-stop… I also could not stop talking about the movie after that…I became obsessed…and I still am! I later found out there was an OBC soundtrack so I bought that too… then my awesome father took me to see it live when I found out the Broadway tour was playing a couple of hours away from where I live. So I was lucky enough to see the live version too! It was amazing! I want to go see it again…like right now!

So I like to believe I am now a RentHead and thanks to Rent my love for musicals has changed. I mean I did enjoy musicals back in the day, but now I can't get enough of them! Idina has also become one of my favorite actresses/Broadway stars because of it…she has an amazing voice, and played Maureen so well!

All I have to say now is…Thank You Jonathon Larson for creating such an amazing and inspirational musical! I can't get enough of it!

By GorgeousSmile


	6. Missxflawless

I gotta say, you people are making me so goddamn happy right now. I never knew so many people could be so eager to share their personal stories of RENT with everyone else. To all of you who have posted, might post, want to post, or are even thinking about posting, I can't wait to read your stuff. Thanks, bubbelehs (my grandmother is in my sooooooul). And to those of you who have read these accounts and submitted such sweet and appreciative reviews, thank you so much. BY THE WAY, authors...if you want to read your reviews, you'll have to check back to this fic. Unless you want me to PM you your reviews...can't say I'll get to that right away. But I shall try.

AHEM. As for this particular, I think it's wonderful. All of them are well written, and this is no exception. I also can very closely identify with your feelings about the movie. So kudos (Sarah Silverman, you are amazing). By the way, she wrote in her email that she thinks her account sucks. IT DOES NOT SUCK! SELF-DEPRECATION SQUAD, WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY! (proceeds to pelt missxflawless with chocolate and bunnies until she stops saying her lovely work sucks)

* * *

"Mami! I wanna listen to music! Por favor!" I said at the unripe age of at least eight or nine in the year of 1999. We were in our car at the time. Going where, I couldn't tell you. This was more than seven or eight years ago and my mind does not recall that far back.

My mother grinned at me as I sat in the passenger seat and she opened her CD case once we got to a stop sign. "Katarina, I've got a new CD that I want you to hear. I think you'll like it. It's a musical-"

"LIKE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST?!"

She giggled. "Yes, just like that. It's called RENT. I don't know what the whole thing is about, but I do know the gist of it. I'll tell you what I know while we listen, okay?"

I nodded eagerly and waited for the first song to start.

"This song is called 'Rent' and they are complaining about not having money to pay it," my mother told me as the hard rock guitar belted out of the speakers. I grinned and bobbed my head along with the music. I was immediately captivated by the fast pace of the singing and the song itself. The man's voice, whose name I did not know, was different. And I liked different.

"I don't really like this song, so we'll go to my favorite. This is called 'One Song Glory' and he's talking about how he wants to write his one great song before he dies."

My eyes widened to the size of basketballs. "He's gonna die?! Why?!"

My mom winced slightly, because the last time I'd had an encounter with AIDS, my cousin passed away. "Well, you remember how your prima Selena died?"

I nodded.

"That disease, AIDS, well…A lot of the people in this musical have that disease. One of them dies from it in the end like your prima."

I wasn't exactly interested in thinking about my cousin at that particular moment, so I pressed the next button and accidentally hit it twice.

A plethora of beautiful harp chords came out of the speakers and I was instantly enticed. I could hear my mother speaking to me in the background, but what she was saying was going right through my head. All I could hear was the voice of the person singing.

"_Today for you, tomorrow for me!"_ and an even groovier beat came through. "_It was my lucky day today on Avenue A…_"

I was enticed, enraptured, happy, overjoyed. I felt the need to dance. When my mother told me that the person singing was a drag queen, I was even more focused on the song. Later in my life I would realize that I was actually turned on by certain drag queens with the initials of A.D.S.

From the first moment I heard that song, I would always bug my mother to let me "listen to the dog killing song!"

From that point on I scarcely listened to the music, but I would always remember it.

* * *

The time is November 2005 and I'm 15. I see previews for this musical everywhere, and I have no intentions of seeing it for some odd reason. RENT had been a very small, miniscule part of my life and I'd always liked it, so why didn't I go see it?

My mother went the day the movie came out…three times.

When she got home, she was crying. I vaguely remember saying "Mami, why're you crying?"

She wiped her eyes. "RENT was so sad, mija! It was so sad! The dog killer-"

"ABABABA! I don't want to hear it! Don't tell me anything! I might go see it!" which was kind of a lie. I never did see it until two years later.

* * *

Now the year is 2007 and it's February. My best friends, Cassandra and Kayla, and I were currently staying the night at my brother's house to help him baby-sit my nephew and also to have fun with his video game systems.

"Kassie I'm bored as FUCK!" Kayla said to me. "We should watch a movie or something!"

Cassandra shrugged. "Do what you want, I'm going to sleep!"

"You can't! We have to stay up!" but Kayla's pleas were useless. Cassandra had already curled up on the floor and I laughed.

"So…movie…what one?" I asked, motioning to the bookcase of movies my brother had.

She walked over to it and stood near me, her eyes shuffling through the DVDs as her finger traced along them before her eyes stopped on a certain movie. The cover, from what I could see, was a dark bluish color and had a picture of Ro Dawson and Taye Diggs.

"RENT?" I asked skeptically. "You don't like musicals, do you?"

She shrugged. "I'll try anything once." She popped the DVD in and I was mesmerized. The Seasons chords made me want to cry and explode at the same time. I was enticed (once again using that word) and it drew me in so much it scared me.

One person stuck out to me in particular. He was a tall, lengthy, dark-skinned Latino. He didn't really appeal to me physically, but something about him made me want to know more about him.

As the movie progressed, we got to the scene where Angel meets Collins, and I nearly died of cuteness. I had no idea that gay men being so adorable was…so adorable! I couldn't explain it, but right away Angel was my favorite character. Once "Today 4 U" came around I was completely in love. Head over heels. I was strangely attracted to Angel and I didn't know why. It was kind of scaring me, honestly. I wanted more of Angel, I wanted so much more so by the time "I'll Cover You" came around I was jumping for joy. Every five seconds another "Awww!" slipped out of my mouth and it only made me happier.

But before then it was "Out Tonight." Both Kayla and I were wide-eyed with our jaws dropped to the floor.

"I would SO go lesbian for her…" I said, sounding serious but at the time I was joking. Now that I look back on it I had no idea how serious I really was.

Then, "Take Me or Leave Me." That was when I truly got scared. Tracie Thoms was turning me on with every swish and sway of her hips and her hair. I was freaking out inside. I knew I was straight. I KNEW it, so why was I getting turned on by her? WHY?! Was I seriously going to follow in my mother's footsteps and become a lesbian?! No…at least, not right now.

I began to cry like a little girl during "Without You," and seeing Angel look so sick like that made me cry even harder, reminding me of my cousin Selena's death. Kayla's eyes were dry, but once it got to Angel's death scene we were both sobbing hysterically. I didn't think I could cry any harder, but during the funeral was when my true crying abilities shown through.

"Oh my God!" I said through my sobs as Collins began to sing.

"What?!" Kayla said.

"That's their song! That's Collins and Angel's song!" and we both held each other as we cried.

I was so confused after the movie ended. I had no idea why that movie touched me so much. It confused me to the core and after that, and I couldn't even fathom how much I loved that movie.

RE_N_T is my hope, my love, my fear, my passion, my obsession, my joy, my sorrow, my LIFE. RE_N_T is love. I'm not just saying that. From the moment the first chords of Seasons chimed over the theatre speakers, I fell in love. I did. They've changed my life. RE_N_T is about being young, being in love, being afraid and being brave, loving someone enough to keep them close to you, but loving them enough to let them go when it's their time. RE_N_T is about hope, life, death, pain, misery, addiction. RE_N_T is about life. Your life. Not only do you know these people, you are these people. Every one of them. If you can't relate with Mark you relate with Roger, or if you can't relate with Mimi you relate to Angel. There's more of you in all of these people than you realize there is. It's not about AIDS and Drag Queens and the Homeless, it's about your life. You experience love and hurt and fear just like these people do. RE_N_T is about everything we experience everyday and that's why I love it.

By Kassie aka MissxFlawless

* * *

Heh. Sneaking in a little something here...I forgot to add a thing for GorgeousSmile's account. I LURVED it, and I thought very much agree with the ending. BOHEME! (for those of you who have read the Ten Commandments, HA) 


	7. Before The Sun Sets

Bejesus, these are going up fast! I am so happy (I know I keep saying this, but WOW). This account really touched me, for certain reasons that I am sure I will reveal when I do my account (which I shall when I have more time). For now, enjoy!

* * *

I went in to watching RENT knowing everything that happened. My cousin had told me earlier in the summer the entire plotline, and I kind of WTFed at it,considering I got very very confused while listening to her. No offense meant to my cousin, who I know is gonna read this.

However, she convinced me to watch it. I carried our copy of the DVD, which had been out at our beach house for at least a year, around with me the rest of the summer. It wasn't really high on my priorities list, so I didn't wind up watching it until about two months later, at my grandma's house in Maryland.

So, I was a bit bored that day, tired of random RPing and reading. So I dug in my backpack for something else to do and unearthed the RENT DVD. I popped it in the DVD player, fought with it for several minutes trying to turn off the stupid subtitles, gave up, and settled down to watch.

I was fascinated, if a little confused. My grandma came in about halfway through the song "Rent" and was like, "What're you watching?" "Rent." "Hm…" She sat in the desk chair and watched with me.

I didn't move for most of the movie, except to slide off the couch so I was closer. I was fascinated by it, though I WTFed at Mo's protest like a lot of people seem to do the first time. I loved La Vie Boheme, of course. From the beginning, I was fascinated by Angel. She seemed so happy and genuinely loving, it didn't bother me one bit that she was a drag queen. I don't think I even thought about it at all. I also remember my grandma asking if the person playing Angel was really a guy, which I said I was pretty sure he was, and she commented on his beautiful face (makes me happy remembering that).

I cried during Angel's funeral, of course, though not nearly as much as I have since I got to know the character better. I loved What You Own. (who doesn't?)

And then the finale came

I honestly don't remember what I was thinking during the finale, except that I knew Mimi didn't die (but that's okay, it was still potent). However, near the end of Finale B, I started crying. Tears were streaming down my face for probably the second half of the song, and then, after that last frame, I just sat there on the couch.

And I cried. I didn't even really understand why. I just sat there, staring at the credits, and cried. My grandma, who'd been in and out sporadically, came over and hugged me and we sat there on the couch for a while, me crying into her shoulder. I remember her talking about the power in that movie, how it really stirred your emotions, and I remember hiccupping and nodding some. Eventually, she went to do some laundry. I just kind of sat there, staring at the wall and thinking. Images from the movie kept flashing in my mind.

Later that day, I went to Six Flags with my cousins, so I didn't really think about it much after that. But for the next few days, I couldn't stop thinking about it. It kept popping into my head, and I decided I had to watch it again.

I guess that's where my passion/obsession really started, the second time I watched it on my little brother's portable DVD player on the car ride home. I remember taking off my headphones, wiping my eyes and saying. "Wow." Just wow.

I went online and found out as much as I could about the movie, the show, anything. I recommend it to anyone I know, and quote/babble about it often, much to some people's annoyance. I even once convinced this one guy that Angel was a 'she', but that she was comfortable with the body she was given. He even said afterwards that there was really no way he could call her a he anymore. (anyone else confused by that sentence?)

And, well, here I am. Four months later, much wiser, still just as obsessed as when I started. And it's not going away anytime soon, I guarantee that. And I AM SEEING RENT THE SHOW ON TOUR THIS FRIDAY!!! HOW AWESOME IS THAT!!!???!?!?

By Erin aka Before The Sun Sets


	8. MovieBuffStarlet

YET ANOTHER GORGEOUS ACCOUNT! You guys are practically killing me, I can't believe it! I did a lot of homework in rehearsal, so don't be surprised if I post my own account tonight. (we are doing Guys and Dolls. Your very own Panda has been cast as Angie The Ox: i.e. COOLEST CRAPSHOOTER IN THE GALAXY! DAS RIGHT, BEETCHES! YOU KNOW IT!)

Heh. Anyway, this is just as awesome as the ones before it. I too saw a preview for RENT when I was going to one movie or another. I shall explain that in my own account. And by the way...this account and another have a little language in them. Do not be offended; in case you noticed, I upped the rating. TAKE THAT, RATING ADMIN PEOPLES!

I'm a little wired right now...in case it wasn't clear.

* * *

When it comes to expressing myself, I never manage to sound intelligent. That's why I seem to only leave one word reviews for people. I just feel like I have so much to say…but I don't know how to say it. 

I'm not really into Broadway all that much…movies are really more my thing. I've never even heard of RENT. Months before the film was released, I remember seeing a teaser trailer for it while I was in the movie theatre…I can't remember what movie I was seeing. Anyway, the thing that stuck with me was that song….that beautiful song that had a touch of sadness to it: Seasons of Love.

During the month of November, previews had begun to appear regularly on television. I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to see it, actually. I wasn't a huge musical fan. I've seen a few such as "Grease" and "A Chorus Line" and enjoyed them…but I wasn't obsessed or anything. Besides, I couldn't even tell what RENT was about from the trailers…still, the music sounded wonderful and it looked interesting, to say the least.

It was a short while after the movie had finally been released into theatres (still November, I think) And my Mom suggested that we go see RENT. I shrugged.

"Sure, why not? I think it's a musical. Musicals are always fun…."

So, I'm sitting in the theatre not knowing what to expect at all. After the previews, the screen goes to blackness, the beginning credits fade in and out on the screen in silence. And then the first few notes of "Seasons of Love" ring out through the theatre.

As the song began, my eyes start to water and I can feel a lump in the back of my throat. I'm horrified by this sudden weepiness because I HATE CRYING. Crying makes me feel like shit…both emotionally and physically. Plus, it's shameful, embarrassing and it makes me feel weak. Crying in a public movie theatre is ten times worse.

I don't think I knew then what I was watching…or maybe I only knew it subconsciously. But I knew it was something special from that moment on.

As the movie played out before me, I was amazed. I've seen other rock musicals before…but this was different. This was real. This was inspirational.

RENT activated an incredible spectrum of emotions within me. Many songs had me laughing or grinning like a fool. I was charmed by RENT's boldness, humor, realism, wit, and compassion. RENT is Jonathan Larson's life…onstage and now onscreen.

Another thing that amazed me was that I, a hardcore lesbian, fell in love with a boy. A boy by the name of Angel.

It's a given that I found Angel to be extremely hot in drag…she's got such a pretty face and gorgeous legs! But I simply cannot get over the shock that I originally found Angel to be adorable and cute as hell while she was out of drag, helping Collins out in his time of need. She just seemed so candid and natural then….and SO FUCKING SWEET! I've never felt that way about a guy before, and I don't think I ever will.

Which brings me over to the sadder stuff. From the songs "Without You" until the very end of the movie, I was a mess. Not only was RENT loving, passionate, joyful, and warm…but it was also very tragic. I was squirming uncomfortably in my seat as these emotions attacked me…wanting desperately to run out of the theatre and into a bathroom to cry in private. But I sat there, anyway. I sat there, having my little nervous breakdown. ;)

(By the way, I bought the DVD as soon as it came out. It's been about two years and I still can't watch Angel's death and funeral!)

After the movie, I was in a daze. I had fallen in love with a musical and a drag queen within one night. That's a lot for a girl to take in! XD

I went to see RENT again on December the 2nd. By myself, this time. I still have my ticket stub.

Here's a little recap: I was 17 when I first saw RENT, and it restored my faith in humanity. RENT is the definition of life, love, and liberty…something that I didn't think human beings believed in anymore. These kids in RENT were real, brave, loving and compassionate people. I don't know how to explain it…but the characters in RENT are better people than the majority of earth's population can ever hope to be. We are currently so blinded by hate, fear, greed, injustice and bigotry. We are very much a materialistic species.

RENT is not just a 90's piece (Yes, 90's…not 80's. Angel mentions 'Thelma and Louise' in the song 'Today 4 U'. 'Thelma and Louise' did not come out until 1991. The date given in the beginning of the movie is wrong.)

Where was I? Oh, yeah!

RENT is very much the future. Do artists and bohemians still exist? Are drugs, poverty, bigotry, and homelessness still problems? Does rock music still exist? Is AIDS still killing people?

More importantly, does love still exist?

RENT is also universal.

It saddens me that more people on this planet are not like Jonathan Larson…we could sure use some enlightened souls like him. He actually got it. If more people could be compassionate and loving, this world would be a better place. That man was a genius and I love him.

Even though Jonathan Larson has died, his beautiful masterpiece has triumphed and actually saved lives. His message of love and hope will live on.

Thank you, Jonathan Larson.

By Heather aka MovieBuffStarlet


	9. Kawaiipeach14

Here we go, another one's a-coming. For all you people who saw Adam and Anthony, they have a little mention. YIPPEE! Heh. Sorry.

* * *

My first experience with this amazing Broadway phenomenon was when I saw the film in November '05 during it's premiere week. I was on vacation with my family in Universal Studios, Orlando, FL. Those of you who have been there know that there is a movie theatre in CityWalk. My dad and I went to see the film there.

The lights dimmed, the people around me silenced their chattering, and the movie began. On a screen before me stood eight people in a row, singing the opening lines:

"Five hundred twenty-five thousand six-hundred minutes..."

It was beautiful. I stared in awe as the story flashed before my eyes. Mark began his story of that fateful Christmas Eve, and I listened intently. I followed Roger and Mimi's complicated relationship every step of the way, I shook my head and smiled at Maureen and Joanne's "Take Me or Leave Me". I sobbed when Angel died...and by the end of the film, I truly believed in "no day but today".

I walked out of that theatre with my dad in utter amazement at what I had just seen.

"So," my dad said quietly as we walked back to the hotel, "What did you think?"

At first I didn't quite know what to say. "I...It was...amazing."

He just smiled. "I knew you'd like it."

Back at the hotel, I couldn't stop thinking about everything Rent conveyed: living in the moment, remembering the importance of love and sharing it with others...I honestly had never been so touched by a film before. Angel had especially inspired me with her positive life outlook and utter sweetness. I knew right then and there that I would never forget about Rent.

Sure enough, Rent was released on DVD in February. I hauled my mom over to Target to buy it for me. No sooner did I get home was the DVD in my player, and it was like reliving the experience at the movie theatre all over again. I looked up information about the Broadway show, about the original cast members (six of which, I realized, were in the film), and about Jonathan Larson's tragic story. The fact that Jonathan died before his dream of bringing Rent to the Broadway stage was fulfilled just made the movie/show even more poignant for me.

A few months later, I learned about the Rent tour coming to Boston. As it turned out, my family and I were able to see Rent on June 23rd, 2006. It was amazing, as I had expected it to be. This past summer, I was able to see it with two original cast members---Adam Pascal & Anthony Rapp---which was an experience of a lifetime.

Rent has taught me so much about my life and about respecting others, no matter what. It has opened my eyes to issues of prejudice, homophobia, stereotypes, and of course, AIDS. This past year, I've gone through quite a lot, and this musical has helped me face what I never could have been able to face before. Ithas strengthened me in so many ways.

Thank you, Rent. Thank you, Jonathan Larson.

By Jenna aka kawaii-peach14


	10. Birdhearted

I think it's lovely how people all seem to thank Jonathan at the end. If he could see that...I think it would really mean something, among all the throes of RENTheadism. It's a beautiful thing to do.

* * *

The first time I experienced RENT, I didn't even know it was a musical. My thanks will forever go out to Mrs. Tilghman, who inspired in me a passion for Broadway that will forever run deep in me.

My first encounter of RENT was sitting in my school's chorus room, doing my homework. I was in 6th grade… The babies of our middle school. A couple of seventh graders were gathered around the piano, singing a song that sounded so pretty that I wanted to learn the words.

I was captivated by the melody, by the way the song seemed to tell a story. By the time the bell rang, I walked out of the chorus room with three beautiful words ringing throughout my core.

Seasons of love…

I wanted to learn the rest of this song, so I started staying for Chorus extra help, though I didn't need it at all. By the next week, my brother, who was in the 7th grade chorus learning the song, was joking around that I knew the song better than he did.

Little did I know that that would be the beginning of the rift between us known as RENT.

That's the just the beginning of my experience with Rent.

My second encounter, I still had no clue of RENT. My chorus teacher had gotten me hooked on Wicked, and my best friend mentioned something about Elphaba also playing some Maureen person in a movie known as RENT.

The movie had recently come out on DVD, and it was also on the on-demand menu for IO. I had watched the preview, and recognized the song I knew so well from sixth grade. I had asked my mom if I could watch the movie, and she said I couldn't because it was really adult.

Of course, being a rebellious little preteen, this tripled my interest in seeing RENT. I kept bugging my mom until she caved in. That night, me, my mom, my brother, and my seven year old sister sat in our basement around the TV. And so we saw RENT.

It was quite an eye opener for me, being the naïve little seventh grader I was. I didn't even know what gay meant… Though I barely understood a third of the things they were talking about, I fell in love with the characters, the music, and the message, because no day but today I could understand.

I eventually found out what everything meant, either by asking my mom or going on Wikipedia… I was a bit shocked, but never disapproving. RENT taught me about the world, and about living each moment as your last. Because of the huge impact RENT had on me, four words will forever ring in my ears.

Thank you Jonathan Larson.

By Erika akak Birdhearted


	11. Redlipstick x3

I am now posting as soon as I can when I find new accounts. I really hope people are enjoying this as much as I am. Thanks for everything, guys.

* * *

I think I was around thirteen and my cousin had the OBC soundtrack. We were listening to it in her bedroom and I couldnt help but fall in love with it. I remember begging my dad to let me see the show and he always said no. No. No. No. It made me so fustrated. So I looked up everything there was to do with RENT, mostly the OBC and burned a copy of my cousin's CD. I listened to it every day, I'm not joking, haha. Anyway, I was fooling around on the Internet one day when I saw that they were making a movie. I nearly fell out of my seat. When I saw that most of the OBC was in it, I died and went to heaven.

So I saw the movie about four or five times in the theater and when it came out on DVD, I got it the first day. I basically have the movie memorized. I recently saw the show, finally! and it was amazeing. I just thank god I went to my cousin's house that day or I may have never even know that i could love a show so much.

And thats my wonderful experience [:

By Red-lipstick x3


	12. PandaFire McMango

Hey, babes. Well, I thought I was bored, but I didn't know I was this bored! Anyway, here is my special little account. It's sort of weird and choppy because I'm half-watching the Nightmare of Christmas over my sister's shoulder ("this is Halloween, this is Halloween! Halloween, Halloween, HALLOWEEN, HALLOWEEN!"). Anway, it's me, and so...yeah.

Quick thing: I ran across a message board recently that talks about RENT closing. It's a topic that I despise...but one we all have to face. The show is dropping in ticket sales: even Adam and Anthony's spike has died down. Still, I think of it like this: the show may end on Broadway, but that will not kill it. Truth be told, nothing can. Jonathan put so much of himself into that show; something with such a spirit cannot die. And we hold it alive with us always. We, who feel such a bond with RENT, will not let it disappear. Pass it on to everyone you know, and keep on loving it as best you know how. And whatever experiences you've had with it...treasure them. RENT doesn't die. RENT doesn't end.

RENT is love. And I know I love it...how about you?

* * *

Jess has a great couch. It's really big and cushy and it curves in a V, so there's a always a little pushing and shoving over the corner spot. It's also a perfect place to flop down—usually on friends—and watch a movie. 

We did exactly this on Jess's birthday in what I am almost certain was late 2005, although I can't be sure. Most of my friends knew what RENT was, and they had been chattering about it during opera (a small theatrical program where I first met them) for weeks. Whenever I asked, they giggled and refused to give me anything other than "it's about gay people and AIDS." Finally, I was going to see it.

Backing up a little from that night at Jess's…I'd seen a preview for RENT while going to some move or another. I remember hearing the chords of "Seasons of Love" and thinking that I knew that song from somewhere, maybe from the older kids' music class at my school.

Later on, I checked the trailers and found the one I had seen. It wasn't hard: one of the other trailers is set to "Finale B" instead of "Seasons", and I didn't recognize the one that was also set to "Seasons." But I do remember a lot of what I thought when I first saw that ad. For one thing, I was sure Angel was a girl (I am not an extremely perceptive person, let it be noted). For another, I remember cynically thinking, "Okay, so there's a black woman, two black men, two white men, a white woman, two Hispanic women, and a Hispanic man" (remember, I did not make the in-out-of-drag Angel connection). "Since we have an idiotic movie industry, the black woman will end up with a black man, the white woman will end up with one of the two white guys, there will be a Hispanic couple, and the other three will be single" (I live in Cambridge, MA, so I'm used to being angry at the rarity of interracial movie couples). Imagine my surprise and happiness when I saw that this movie, unlike others, had mixed couples all around. Overall, I thought it looked wonderful. The shots of Angel and Collins twirling together, Mimi's silhouette as she skipped down the street, all set to such a beautiful melody…it made me shiver a little. I was little mixed up by the "Seasons" shots; I wondered if they were recording an album in the movie. Whatever the plot was, I made a mental note to see that movie.

Going forward in time…we started the movie at Jess's. I thought "Seasons of Love" was incredible. I'd never heard the whole song before, so it was all the more gorgeous and unfamiliar. Then "Rent" started and I got blasted out of the water. I didn't fully understand the plot, but I got the power and feeling behind the music. I was hooked.

The movie went past—unfortunately, I kept up my horrible habit of having to ask my friends for plot recaps. Despite this, I grasped it enough to cry at Angel's funeral. I also questioned if Jonathan (or as I put it then, "the guy who wrote it") was high when he wrote "Over the Moon" and screeched with laughter at most of "La Vie Boheme." The movie/show hadn't hit me hard enough to blow me apart quite yet: but it left a dent that never disappeared.

Fast forward almost half a year: I'm in Martha's Vineyard, where our family spends at least one week in a friend's/our cabin. I've been coming here since before I was born (in utero, for those of you puzzled) and it's pretty much my second home. Now, it's our last day. I go out to the little landing on the edge of the lake we stay next to and switch on my iPod. I scroll through songs: boring…listened to it last night…_never_ going to listen to it…hey. Look at this. The movie soundtrack of RENT. I haven't listened to this in ages…

That started it. By the time we go on the ferry back to Cambridge, I was glued to my earphones. When we got back, I ran to the computer and started typing "RENT Broadway show" into every search engine I could think of. Before the end of the day, I had the OBC album ready and waiting on my iPod.

It's been almost two years since I started RENTing out, and what a time it's been, RENTwise at _least_. I've seen the movie countless times; seen the show on tour once; seen it five times on Broadway, each time with a returning OBC member; I've had wonderful, incredible, and extremely personal experiences with some of these OBC members; I've read every book and article, watched every bootleg, posted on every message board. I've given this show my love and loyalty, and in return it's given me hours and hours of heartbreak, sadness, pain, grief…

And love. So much celebratory, sparkling, strong-as-steel love that sometimes I feel like it can't be real, what I feel from this show. But it is. My connection with it is real and true, and as beautiful as anything. I can hardly listen to the songs most of the time, because they mean too much to me; and honestly, crying in public is not fun. Especially at 7: 37 a.m. on a public bus.

My family and friends have been as great as can be expected. I annoy the hell out of them sometimes…but they deal. And my family really does love the show, even my daddy (who used to call it "a story about a bunch of romantic losers"). All in all, RENT is a part of me and my life. I'll always love it; I may not obsess like I do now, but…well, it's like they say in the Narnia books. After all, C.S. Lewis has always said it best…

"Once a RENThead, always a RENThead."

By Esther aka PandaFire McMango


	13. HAlfBlOOd PRiiNCESS

Hey! Well, long rehearsals and lots of homework have kept me from updating. I have MANY stories to post and I shall do as many as I can. By the way...I GOT "JONATHAN SINGS LARSON" IN THE MAIL TODAY!!! This CD is amazing. It has songs from RENT, Superbia, tick, tick...BOOM!, Boho Days, and just random songs...all written and sung by Jonathan. It also comes with a DVD that has four videos of him performing "30/90", "Sunday", "Why", and "Johnny Can't Decide" in 1991. IT IS AMAZING. I will treasure it forever.

This is a great account...but little miss Author, you forgot to include your username! Send it to me throguh email or PM, and it shall appear. Enjoy, everyone!

* * *

"Honeybear, trust me. You'll love it!" My best friend grinned at me as I stared dubiously at my birthday present.

"Rent? Isn't that the thing with the drag queen that dies? Rather depressing, don't you think?"

"Please, just trust me, Pookie."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, but I won't love it," I grumbled as I slipped the CD under a few books at the bottom of my pile.

It was March. As a gift for my entrance into the land of Teenagedom, my best friend Jackie bought me the Rent movie soundtrack. I had heard of it, of course (I mean, everyone's heard of Seasons of Love) but it had never really attracted me. It always looked so depressing!

Months passed. I completely forgot about Jackie's gift. It was only in August, when I was editing my iTunes library, that I found it again.

After much debate, I chose one song to listen to--just one to decide whether or not I should keep it. Holding my breath, I clicked on a random song by the name of "Today 4 U."

My jaw hit the floor. I stared in sheer disbelief at the screen until the song ended, then collapsed in hysterical laughter. It was a drug, and I was hooked from the first taste. Eagerly, I clicked on another song "Take Me or Leave Me". About halfway through, I jumped up and started dancing. The beat was so contagious! I twirled and skipped through that song, laughing when they said "Honeybear" and "Pookie"; at least I knew from where Jackie got those pet names! The song ended too soon, and shuffled to another one called "One Song Glory."

I didn't know who this character was. I didn't know anything about anything when it came to Rent. Yet when Roger sang "Time flies, time dies ..", I cried. I threw my head back and sobbed and the sheer beauty and sadness in his voice. It was captivating; at that moment, I was experiencing emotions I had never tapped into before, degrees of sadness and empathy that had lurked in the deepest dregs of my soul, waiting to be released.

I will spare you all the gory details of my reactions to the rest of the songs; except "Halloween." At that moment: when Mark wondered why he was the witness, I fell irrevocably and unconditionally in love with him. Mark and I are the same person, essentially. We act the same, we think the same. It was my very first crush on a fictional character: a crush that has yet to fade.

You can guess what happened next. I looked up the whole story online, bought all the other songs that weren't on the movie soundtrack, and watched the movie. I pondered with Mark, danced with Mimi, wallowed with Roger, flirted with Maureen, worried with Joanne, laughed with Collins. I loved with Angel, the sister I never had.

My Broadway experience came only a few months ago, in September. After finding out that Adam and Anthony were going back to their original roles, I bugged my parents for tickets, flatly denying the fact it was "too adult" for me. Finally my wish came true. On September 15th, at 8 pm, I sat down to watch Rent: The Musical.

Seeing that show changed my life. I am not kidding. It literally changed my life. I cannot explain to you what I was feeling when I heard the phrase "Tell the folks at home what you're doing Roger!"

From that moment on, I was shaking in my seat. The person next to me must have been wondering whether I was having a seizure. I cried during "One Song Glory", cracked up during "Light My Candle". I had a fangirl attack during "Tango:Maureen". I stuffed my whole fist in my mouth to keep myself from screaming during "La Vie Boheme."

Angel died. I knew it was coming, and yet I when Collins sang "Live in my house, I'll be your shelter ..", I burst into tears that did not completely stop until a half hour after the show.

My whole family thought I was insane. I thought it was an epiphany. Never before had I so grasped the meaning of "No Day But Today." It is now my personal motto. I live my life for every moment, and let regret fall behind me in a forgotten past. I'm sure all you RENTheads reading this right now agree: no one can simple say "Rent is this or Rent is that." Because Rent is love. Rent is laughter. Rent is pain. Rent is sadness. Rent is joy. Rent is now.

Rent is life.

Well, here you have it. My rent experience.


	14. Angel Dumott Schunard Collins

Another one! By the way, I was also Roger for Halloween...last year. This year, I was the Squeegee Man. BOOYAH.

* * *

Two years ago at school, this song called "Seasons of Love" was really popular. Nobody really knew where it was from - but everybody knew the words. People would randomely start singing it in the middle of class, and soon I knew all the words as well. I found out that it was from the movie RE/\/T, but I didn't really show any interest in seeing it. One of my close friends saw it, and simply ADORED it, but I still didn't really show an interest.

So, two years later, my computer got a virus and I couldn't use it anymore. I found my dad's old laptop and opened it up, and, wanting to listen to some music, I opened up his old iTunes library. Hmm, he has songs from that RE/\/T thing... I thought, but didn't really care much. So I listened to his old Beatles songs and was content. My friend who had seen it those two years ago still loved it very much, so I decided what the heck, I'd listen to a couple songs. Was that the best decision of my life or WHAT?

I first listened to Light my Candle, I think. I fell in love with it, and then moved on to La Vie Boheme. By then, I was head-over-heels for RE/\/T. Yes, already. I had my mom buy me the piano book for the RE/\/T songs and I was VERY disappointed when it had neither the music for Light my Candle nor La Vie Boheme in it. So I decided to listen to another song. What You Own came next, and I loved it so much that I listened to all the other songs my dad had from RE/\/T that day (Rent, You Okay Honey?, Tune Up #3, One Song Glory, Tango: Maureen, Out Tonight, Another Day, Santa Fe, Happy New Year, Take Me Or Leave Me,I'll Cover You (Reprise), Halloween, Goodbye Love, and the Finale). Okay, I NEEDED to see the movie.

So, my friend Kami (that one who saw it those two years ago) had RE/\/T, so I begged her to let me watch it. She said that I could stay after her birthday party and we could watch it, and I was ecstatic. I counted down the days, listening to the songs I had over and over and over again. Of course, as things go, I got sick and couldn't go to the party. I was heartbroken, so I arranged another date, two weeks later, to go to her house and watch it. Once again, I counted down the days.

That time I didn't get sick! I giddily sat down on the couch in Kami's living room as she popped the DVD into the player, and was shaking as the first chords of Seasons of Love burst out through her surround sound speakers. I watched with teary eyes as the scene switched to Rent, and I could barely keep the excited smile from my face as I watched each new number in awe. When it got to I'll Cover You, I almost burst from happiness. During Without You, when they showed Angel in the hospital and dying, my eyes welled up with tears. The I'll Cover You (Reprise) made me sniffle madly and the tears fighting to get out slid down my cheeks. By the finishing number, I was so overcome with emotions that I  
couldn't move when the credits began.

I had to see it again. I HAD TO. So, the next day, I went out to the video store and bought it. I watched it once that day, and three times the next, and once the next, and three times the next, and once the next, and once the next and once the next. Then I bought the entire soundtrack off of iTunes, and ever since then, I've bought every Broadway song missing from the movie soundtrack and now have four playlists for all my RE/\/T songs. I listen to nothing BUT RE/\/T, the playlists are constantly on repeat. I know all the  
words to every song and when I don't have my iPod handy, I replay them in my head. Sometimes that proves to be a bad idea when the teacher asks me a question  
in class... Hehe.

I find myself lost in my own world oftentimes, smiling about Angel and Collins, wondering whether or not Mark ever found someone, and so many other things (though my thoughts usually linger around Angel and Collins). I'm probably going to see the broadway show (YESSS!) around Christmas or during March Break. I'm SO EXCITED. Oh, and I'm crocheting myself a Collins beanie, and knitting myself a Marf (okay, ATTEMPTING to, at least). And I was Roger for Halloween (I desperately wanted to be Angel or Collins, but didn't have enough time to get costumes together for their characters).

I also bought the RE/\/T Bible (as it is called) and am in the process of reading it (IT IS AMAZING. BUY IT. EVERYBODY. NOW.), and I also bought Without You by Anthony Rapp. I've yet to read that one, but I shall!

RE/\/T has changed my life, it has changed my OUTLOOK on life. I never understood homosexuals before I saw RE/\/T. No, I wasn't a homophobe or anything, I didn't think they were bad, I just didn't UNDERSTAND. Now I do.

I understand that Angel and Collins' relationship is probably the strongest one I've ever seen. I understand the conflicts in the lives of all the characters. I can relate to many of them. I understand why Mark is 'with his camera, alone'. I understand why Roger is reluctant with Mimi. I understand why Mimi would work at the Cat Scratch, I understand why she has such a hard life.

And even though all the characters' lives are considerably messed up, I can see how they all manage to live and love, and I can see how they don't take life for granted. I can see how they all live their lives to the fullest. No day but today, people. My new life mantra.

I adore RE/\/T. Nobody should live their life without seeing it, because it has so much to teach us all. Yes, Angel killed a dog. Yes, Mimi takes heroin. Yes, she's a stripper. Yes, Collins smokes marijuana. Yes, many of them are HIV+. But things like that shouldn't turn people off, as they have with many people I know. Those things are REAL. They have important things to teach all of us.

Thank you Jonathan Larson, for you have changed the lives of so many people. I wish you could be here to see how much of an impact your amazing work has left  
on all of us. Rest in peace, and I hope you can see what I'm writing right now, so you can see how very much you're loved by all the random fangirls (and guys)  
who you never knew.

By Angel Dumott Schunard Collins


	15. Beautiful Dreamere

Yeehah. By the way, I've noticed that a lot of people so far seem to really be caught by Angel. I have to admit, I thought she was awesome too. Jonathan really found something deep when he brought Angel into creation. Dance, you sparkly queen, you!

By the way, I think the Saturday she mentions is this one. HAVE A GREAT TIME! GIVE THE NEDERLANDER A HUG FOR ME!

* * *

My story starts two years ago. I was 14. I knew what a musical was but the closest I'd ever gotten to watching one was seeing bits and pieces of Grease and The Rocky Horror Picture Show on VH1. Then along came HSM. Yes, you read that right, High School Musical not Rent. It'll make sense soon. It was summer and my cousin Azrael was spending the night. We were trying to find something to watch on TV and stumbled into HSM. I'd seen the ads and such but didn't really have much interest. We decided to watch it though, and I liked it. High School Musical had sparked my interesting musicals, eventually leading me to Rent, though I didn't know it at the time.

Fast-forward not too far later. Both I and my second cousin Ethan were sick. My mom was watching us both so Ethan's mom, my cousin Belinda, could go to work. At the time, Belinda worked at a video rental store and when she came to pick Ethan up, she brought my mom and me a couple of DVDs to watch. She also had two or three for her and Ethan, one of which was Rent, which she mentioned that she'd bet I'd like to see. Now I'd heard of it, but hadn't been interested in seeing it until then, out of curiosity. Unfortunately, she wanted to watch it, so I didn't get to see it yet.

Fast-forward again, not too long after that. I wasn't sick any more, but I was still curious about Rent. I had wanted to get it off of the on demand the night before but Azrael had spent the night again last night and absolutely refused to watch it. So I waited until the next day, after my mom had taken him home, and bought it to listen to which I did a chore for my mom. I sat down to actually watch it once I was done but, and I kinda hate to admit it now, I got bored and got on the computer to read fanfiction. I sat down later though and watched it from start to finish. I was stunned. It was amazing. Angel caught my attention in particular. I was wowed at how selfless, talented, and just awesome she was. Angel, became, and still is my favorite character. It didn't take long for me to turn my friends Jeannie, Jessica, and Ashley into fellow Rentheads.

Thusly it became the summer of Rent. We watched the movie over and over, discovered the OBC songs we hadn't know about, surfed the net for videos and info on it, sang the songs, and dreamed of seeing it live on stage. When we found out I was moving Jeannie, Jess,and I sang a certain part of goodbye love over and over again: "I can't believe he's gone. I can't believe you're going. I can't believe this family must die. Angel helped us believe in love. I can't believe you disagree. I can't believe this is goodbye" (Ashley lives in Mississippi so she wasn't really affected) it became a shared love, a special bond, one that has yet to be broken. (We still call each other Angel, Mimi, and Maureen) it fact one of the last, if not the last, things we did together the day I moved was listen to Rent. The best has yet to come though. I recently celebrated my sweet sixteen and my cousin Belinda's present was tickets for her and me to go see Rent together! We're going this Saturday and I can't wait!!!!

Rent has led me to many other awesome musicals such as The Rocky Horror Picture show, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Grease,Wicked, and Sweeney Todd. Even so, it will always be my favorite and nothing will ever take it's place in the heart of this 16 year old Renthead.

Thank you Jonathan Larson & No Day But Today.

By Christine aka Beautiful Dreamere


	16. armageddonincarnate

Heh. I couldn't find this one for some reason, but it should have been posted a while ago...sorry, dear! I think this one is a lot like mine. WYO is my recovery song too. Sometimes, that is...other times it makes me wanna punch something and then scream my lungs out. Ina good way, I swear.

* * *

Let's see, where to begin?

I suppose it's always good to start at the beginning. But where IS the beginning?

I kind of had a sort of sub-conscious knowledge of RENT when the movie came out. I remember seeing Seasons of Love; there's also an image of Anthony clapping, but that could just be my mind working against itself. I had no real desire to see it at all; musicals weren't really my thing. So I glanced at it for a second, and then never really thought about it again.

Zoom a year and a half in the future. I'm at my friend's house for a going-away party. He insists we're going to watch this 'RENT' movie. He says I'm going to love it. "Okay," I say, shrugging, not really caring.

No, this isn't actually the life-changing moment it sounds like it's going to be. My other friend is singing through 'Seasons of Love', and the first friend is trying to explain who's who to me.

'That's Mark,' he says, pointing. 'There's Roger, and Benny, and..."

So Seasons of Love is NOT what made me fall in love with the show.

Actually, it was Rent that made me fall in love.

We had to go up to eat after we watched that scene, but I couldn't get the beat out of my head. It was such a STRONG song, so powerful. All that fire. Those two guys were singing like mad, and I loved it. Absolutely loved it. When we went back to watching, I was introduced to Angel for the first time.

"Remember his face," my friend says.

"Okay," I say, not really understanding.

I completely would have missed the fact that Collins and Angel had AIDS if my friend hadn't pointed it out to me. I didn't understand at ALL what the guy with the bald, shiny head was saying, and who the heck was this Maureen person? Why hadn't we met her yet?

And then comes One Song Glory. And suddenly it hits me that I really like this. I really, really like the music. And Mimi came in with that candle, and I was so lost. I had no idea who this girl was, or what she wanted. "Why does she want him to light her candle?" I kept asking.

"For drugs," my friend told me.

"Drugs?" I asked.

"Just keep watching," he said.

So I did.

And it was time for Today 4 You.

"Remember that guy?"

"What guy?"

"That guy with the drum?"

"Huh?"

"The guy with the drum, who I told you to remember?"

"Uh huh."

"Look at that guy on screen."

"What guy?"

"The one dancing."

"The girl?"

"They're the same person."

"...What?"

It was ANGEL! Once I figured that out, the song was amazing to watch.

The next song? 'Tango Maureen'. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped at 'fucking weird'. It was the first 'f-word; I'd ever seen in a movie. But then Mark started doing that spazzy dance, and I started to laugh. And I liked that song a lot.

And then I had to go. And I said I was going to rent the movie but guess what? I didn't. I completely forgot.

Heh.

Until about three or four months later.

All my friends at school had become OBSESSED with it. UTTERLY, UTTERLY OBSESSED. I was starting to feel left out! So I finally got the movie.

Yes, I rented RENT.

I skipped all the way until Tango Maureen. And I kept watching. Life Support made me all teary. I was confused during 'Out Tonight' and 'Another Day'. It was all a blur until La Vie Boheme. Then, I understood completely. It was a party. I UNDERSTAND parties.

Which made up for my not understanding most of the lyrics.

Heh.

Most of Act Two was a blur, except that I remember realizing that, at some point, Mimi and Roger had broken up.

Then 'Without You' began.

And something about it moved something HUGE within me. I would never be able to tell you what, but I began to cry.

And then Angel died.

It's so easy to type those four words, but to see it...

I ran, screaming, sobbing from the room. Luckily I had my wits about me for a second, and had hit pause.

When I had composed myself, I came back. I'll Cover You, my very first time... I couldn't watch it. I had my face smashed into a pillow, sobbing again. Same thing with Goodbye Love.

And then came What You Own. And I breathed normally (well, semi-normally- there was still some gasping involved). What You Own has, ever since then, been my recovery song. When I need to calm down from a panic attack, or just chill after crying, I turn to that song.

And Roger came back from Santa Fe, and then Mimi went missing. And they found her again. And she 'died'.

These are my exact words, I swear to you.

"OH THEY DID NOT!!! I WILL KILL SOMEONE IF SHE DIES!!!!!"

And she didn't. So, needless to say, no one died.

From that viewing, it changed my life. All the musicals I love have come from my association with RENT. I have made SO many friends through the fandom. I'm amazed when I htink about how much it has changed. NOTHING has affected my life as much as this musical has. It's about money and art and being yourself and not selling out and remaining true to your art and living in the moment and, most importantly, it's about love.

No day but today.

Thank you, Jonathan Larson. Thank you so much.  
By armageddon-incarnate


	17. Nuts 4 Mark

Here ya go. Another note: almost everyone has said they found out because of the movie. I think this is a good sign. RENT found so many more RENTheads because of that movie. Mayeb i don't love it like I love the show...but I do love it. Especially Wilson hopping off-screen before Tango: Maureen. It is impossible not to love that boy. Impossible. No argument.

And in response to a review: NOBODY HAS A BAD ACCOUNT! THERE IS NO WORST OR BEST! EVERYONE IS A WINNER! GO GET PUDDING!

OR EVEN BETTER, GET A COOKIE!!!!!!!!!

* * *

Hello, my name is Nuts 4 Mark. As you can tell from my name, I am a huge RENThead and that my favorite character is Mark. Anyway, I have been a RENThead for almost two years. December 20th to be exact. My mother first introduced me to Seasons of Love, because it was really the only song she knew from RENT.

She asked me if I wanted to see the movie and I agreed. I have always been a musical fan and a movie buff. Also, my mother felt that the movie would be a reprieve from the sadness in our house; my brother had entered a group home and my family was devastated. When I sat down in my seat, the first song I heard was Seasons of Love. Suddenly, I felt my legs tap to the beat. From the start, I was enjoying every moment of the movie. However, I wasn't until "Will I" that I became engulfed in the emotion of the musical. I felt a connection between the characters and myself. From that moment, I felt as if I was in the movie. I cried when Angel died and when Mimi ALMOST died. After we left the theater, my Mom and me ran to the nearest store and bought the soundtrack and for the next months, the soundtrack was basically my top choice as a CD.

I have seen the show on Broadway three times (I know I'm a rookie) The first time I saw it was in August of last year. From the start of the show to the end, my mind was into the story. Just like I was when I saw the movie. To skip a few months, my second trip to see RENT was a gift from my friend who offered me a ticket. And now the moment you've all been waiting for: August 28th 2007. When Anthony Rapp (who is my favorite actor) and Adam Pascal were on with Tamyra Gray. The show was PHENOMENAL. Even my dad, who is basically an anti-RENThead ( lost cause) loved it. I got Anthony's autograph and I treasure it every day.

In short, RENT has changed my life. I learned that life, although it is a challenge should be lived with grace. I learned to live No Day But Today.

I will always love RENT, and I am proud to be a renthead. Thank You Jonathan Larson!

By Nuts 4 Mark


	18. Moowitme324

Sadly, another account without a penname. Send it in, por favor!

* * *

OK, the VERY VERY first time I had heard of RENT, was in 2001, when I was a huge NSYNC fan. There was this rumor on MTV news that Joey was going to be in RENT and they talked about how it was about a group of people in the late 80s struggling with AIDS. Me being 10 years old, I didn't really know a lot about AIDS and I was curious about it, because I heard there wasn't a cure. 

Around October or November of 2005, I was channel suffering and I saw the trailer for the movie and I was like, "Hmm...this looks interesting."

At the time, the only two RENT songs I knew were "525,600 song" and "the table song". It was in December when a couple of my friends went to go see it on a Saturday. That Monday, they ran up to me, ecstatic.

"VICTORIA, YOU HAVE TO SEE RENT!"

Sadly, I didn't get to see it at the Theaters, but when it came out on DVD, I was threatened to get it (I was literally threatened.). Around March,I went to Hollywood Video store and the next day I started watching it. Once the song "RENT" came one, I was blown away. Each song made my heart grow and feel up with a feeling I had never felt before. While watching this movie, it slowly changed my life.

Right after I saw it, I took the movie out of my PS2 and just looked at my blank TV. I was speechless. NEVER had a movie made me feel that way before...NEVER!. over the next few days, I started listening to the soundtrack, then doing research on everything about RENT. That's how I found Fan fiction. :)

RENT has been a huge part in my life and I have to thank Jonathan Larson for creating that part of my life.


	19. Maureen Elphaba Thropp

Hey, guys. I'm getting in a few this morning...by the way, just a little something: when you send in your accounts, PLEASE do your best to spellcheck/capitalize your writing. It's hard enough to paste them in when they're not in documents, but editing a whole piece takes time that I don't have a lot of.

Okay, sorry. Panda is cranky. But seriously guys, do me a favor. Panda is needing some help, please and thank you...

* * *

I was watching TV when a commercial came on for the trailer for the movie, RENT. Curious, I listened to the song (Seasons of Love) and fell in love with it - the plot seemed awesome and I thought that i would give it a shot.

The day before Thanksgiving, my best friend and I bought tickets to see it and let me tell you - it was amazing! I had never seen anything like it before in my whole life. I cried from the beginning to the very end. My best friend and I went to see it the next day (after we had turkey - lol). I ended up seeing it 7 times in theatres while my best friend saw it 8 times (I would've gone with her to see it for the 8th time, but I had family at the house that were from out of town and i wanted to spend some time with them before they left).

After seeing the movie for the 5th time, both of us bought the soundtrack from the movie with pictures on them - I got Roger while she got Angel. We then both got the movie when it was released and watched it at my place before my best friend had to go somewhere (I don't exactly remember where).

As I watched the movie for the 100th time (I honestly lost track after watching it for the 45th time), I started thinking about the message - no day but today - and what it meant. I think it means living in the moment and not dreading the next day (there is no future, there is no past...).

Since watching the movie, I started writing RENT fanfiction - mostly song-fics and one-shots. the one-shots grew into stories and the song-fics were still song-fics, but they had details in them.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that RENT completely changed my life - I used to keep to myself and was really shy, but since seeing RENT, I have come out of my shell and became more friendly and wanting to do stuff with people.

By Sara aka No One Mourns The Wicked!


	20. Broadwaylover07

Wow. I am really loving reading these. They're all so touching and well-written! Thank you, Jonathan. Thank you so much.

* * *

Musicals have always seemed magical to me. I knew it from way back in 1999, when I was only seven, and I saw the telefilm version of _Annie_ on The Wonderful World of Disney. After that, I slowly started to get more into the genre of music, but it actually wasn't until eighth grade, two years ago, that the truly powerful feeling of Broadway hit me. Two things happened; 1) I watched the movie version of _The Phantom of the Opera_ and instantly fell in love, and 2) I went to New York for the first time, and my family decided to go see _The Lion King_. It was in the New Amsterdam Theater in Times Square that I had a notion for the first time that I was destined to someday live in the City That Never Sleeps and work on Broadway in some way. I began watching every Broadway movie I could get my hands on. Since I was finally thirteen, I was allowed to see_Chicago_ and some of the more risqué films I'd been denied before. And that's how I fell on _Rent_. 

It was actually my mom's suggestion. We used to do a family movie night every Friday. _Rent_ had just been released on DVD, so it was right in the front of the rack, in plain view. Since my mom knew I loved musicals, despite the PG-13 rating and the fact that my eleven-year-old sister would be watching it with us, she rented _Rent_.

Big mistake. By "One Song Glory", my parents were looking less than happy with the movie selection. My little sister didn't understand most of what was going on, and I understood little more. It was the most wild and inappropriate thing I'd ever seen before, and I was a little uncomfortable watching with my parents right there. By the end of "Today 4 U" (in which I had to ask my parents repeatedly whether "that person in the Santa suit" was a boy or a girl), everyone was ready to switch to a milder choice. Which we promptly did.

_Rent_ was almost forgotten for nine or so months, but I always remembered the beautiful song "Seasons of Love", by far my favorite that I'd heard, and I eventually bought it and a few more songs from the movie on iTunes. Among them was "Over the Moon", which intimidated me at first with its wild style (I have since grown accustomed to Idina Menzel's 'out-there' vocals!). I knew I wanted to see the movie, but I never seemed to remember it when I had the opportunity.

Then one day I was the video store searching in vain for an interesting movie. My eyes fell on _Rent_, and I knew I was now ready to try to watch it again. My interest in Broadways was (and still is) at its peak, since I'd broadened my horizons a lot and looked into newer musicals like _Wicked_ and _Hairspray_. I asked my mom if I could rent it, and if I did if she would watch it with me. She said yes, so I took it home.

I e-mailed one of my best friends just before I started the movie and told her that if I was emotionally scarred by it, it was her job to nourish my mind with clean, wholesome musicals for a while. I would later find I didn't need or want that at all.

And so – the movie began. I must have matured a lot, because I understood nearly everything the second time around, and I sat absolutely enchanted until "Over the Moon". My mom was reading some magazines, only half paying attention, when the phone rang.

"Hey, Elizabeth, do you mind if I take this call into the other room?" Mom asked.

I shook my head eagerly, somewhat relieved that she wouldn't be watching what I was sure had to be the weirdest part of the musical. So Mom left and I watched all the way through "La Vie Boheme B" (Today, the whole "La Vie Boheme" segment is my favorite.) before she returned. Later, I would laugh about how she missed the most inappropriate part of the whole movie, and had no knowledge about what I was being exposed to during the exuberant scene in the Life Café.

At the end of the movie, I was crying. I quietly went upstairs and changed into my pajamas, and then I came back downstairs to say good night to my parents. I hugged my mom in the hallway and said to her:

"Mom – I thought I was going to hate that movie, but…"

"You loved it," Mom guessed.

I nodded. "Yes."

I still love _Rent_ as much as I did when I first saw it over a year ago. Maybe I love it more. I now own the movie and both the OBC and movie soundtracks, plus the companion book. I write _Rent_ fanfics, and preach 'No day but today' to anybody who'll listen – and even to those who won't. Someday soon, I'll see it on Broadway.

Mark is no doubt my favorite character, and maybe the most flawed. Instead of letting his feelings in, he blocks them out. At least the others let themselves feel, even if it makes them do stupid things. I feel sorry for Mark, and I sympathize with him. Who wants to be left alone? And La Vie Boheme is the best song ever. It is so upbeat that I always get really excited and start singing along!

_Rent_ teaches me a lot of things. It teaches me to live for today – a sort of backward hakuna matata. Don't worry about things you can't help. Live life to the fullest extent. Forget regrets, or you'll miss the here and now.

But the most important thing I've learned from _Rent_ is acceptance. Accept everyone the way they are, no matter if they're rich, poor, black, white, fat, thin, heterosexual, homosexual, the Bohemians of the world, or the Westport Grays. We're all the same deep down. Discrimination is wrong. People are who they are – it's not up to us to change them to fit our standards, and no one is inferior simply because they're different. Different is good. I hope someday everyone can see how important equal treatment is to the world.

_Rent_ has changed my life for the better. I would not be the same person today without it. I think everyone should watch it just to get a better idea of the way the world is around us. I ask every one of those people who looks at it and says, 'Oh, drugs, gay people, and sex. What a stupid movie!' to try to see the deeper meaning instead of the surface. Please.

I know I've gone off on a tangent, but if you took the time to read this, feel free to PM me. I'd love to hear what you thought, whether you agree or disagree.

Thank you, Jonathan Larson.

By: Elizabeth, a.k.a. broadwaylover07


	21. TakeMeTakeMeILoveYou

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. I am low-energy.

* * *

A/N: Some Years I am Guesstimating on one of the years I believe it was 1997…the first tour of RENT…If I'm wrong don't get pissed…All of this isn't exactly what happened of course my memory from when I was four is not the good being it was Eleven years ago XD…so I changed some stuff to fit…and It should be rather close to what actually happened 

October 22, 2006 1:56 PM

I sat there in the theatre…my best friend Graham sitting on my left and my other best friend Anna sitting on my right…two weeks before my 14th Birthday, my mom was going to come but work prevented her letting me take another friend with…We were in the third row…the two rows in front of us were RENThead seating. Years ago…I first heard of the show….

Flash Back 1997  
Four year old me sat on the couch in her night gown, just a couple months short of being Five….I see my sister who is 13 years my senior all done up in a dress…my mom looking nice as well. I got up and being the little sister I was I promptly asked her:  
"Where ya goin'?"  
"To see a show" Sally replied simply.  
"What show?" I asked naggingly.  
"RENT."  
"Can I gooo?" I asked again drawing out the word annoyingly.  
"No…You're too young."

I forgot all about RENT after that…Honestly I did…my sister listened to it sure…she owned the Original Broadway Cast Recording…But otherwise…I forgot about it.

Until 2005….I had been seeing the ads on TV….And thought it was cool just from seeing these ads…I remember it vaguely

As I sat and watched TV before school……

People were dancing on tables……

Singing was being played over them dancing…the voice sounding slightly familiar….

_Anyone out the mainstream…Is Anyone In The Mainstream….Anyone Alive With A Sex Drive…Tear Down The Walls Aren't We All…_

The Deep Voice Natarator Dude Came On Over It, "RENT."

Then I was in Spanish…my weak class..the class I had first period opposite 7th Grade Choir….Channel one started….with singing? There was a choir on the TV  
_525,600 Minutes, 525,000 Moments So Dear,_

_525,600 Minutes, How Do You Measure, Measure A Year_

_In Day Lights, In Sun Sets, In Midnights, In Cups of Coffee,_

_In Inchs, In Miles, In Laughter, In Strife_

_In 525,600 Minutes, How Do You Measure A Year In The Life? _

_How About Looooooooooove, _

_How About Looooooooooooooooooove,_

_How About Looooooooooooooooooove,_

_Measure In Love, _

_Seasons Of Loooooooooooooooooove, _

_Seasons of Loooooooooooooove_

There was a guest host…Rosario Dawson…She was promoting this movie I had been seeing ads for…for days…they did the news and then commercials and in the commercials I saw an ad for it again "8 Friends….One Year" the deep voice guy said I drained him out as me and most of the other people in my Spanish class were drawn in by the images….a woman and a man dancing in a dark room, people together, a woman who looked a lot like a man dancing with a black man.

"NO DAY BUT TODAY!" The music played…..I have to see that….

It wasn't til weeks later until I saw it….Winter break…My mom was sick she had promised to take me..I couldn't go alone…despite the fact it was PG-13 and I was indeed 13…my mom wanted me to have someone there….she inlisted my sister for the 3:20 PM showing on December 17, 2005…We got popcorn, got drinks, and sat in the theatre….Sudenly the movie starte…it was silent as names appeared on the screen….finally it said based on the music and book by Jonathan Larson…then chords began to play and in White stencil letters on black screen it said RENT….I was captivated…every word…every note…every character….it got me wrapped around it finger…on the edge of my seat…wide eyed…watching as the relationship evolved and as lovers fought….I laughed during Today 4 U….I bobbed my head to Santa Fe…I grinned during I'll Cover You….I felt like dancing during La Vie Boheme…every emotion becoming exposed as the film played…it was something a movie hadn't done to before…It evened made me cry…which is something a movie has never done before.

A year passed I had viewed the movie a few more times…listened to my sister's OBCR once (or what was left of it which was the second disk)

And now here I am

October 22, 2006 1:59 PM…

I am sitting in the aditorioum…..the lights dim…a man I immediately identify as Mark walks onto stage….his real name as I read in the playbill is Harley Jay…then another man in Plaid pants comes out….Roger…the show begins…I see Warren G. Nolan as Collins get "beaten up"….I am a little unsure about Declan's British accent with Roger…but it proves to be good…Melvin Bell comes out as Angel and sings Today 4 U...The show goes on pulling me in more and more…although I was puzzled by a song called Contact….my mind process confused until I stopped myself from saying aloud "Are they fucking?"

The show ended.

I was 13 going on 14 then and ,as of November 9th 2007, I am 15….I've seen the show twice now (gonna be a three times on December 2 2007) …I got the movie for my 14th Birthday and I have viewed it many times…I listen to the OBCR and the movie soundtrack every day…..I watch RENT 10….and I've fallen in love with Jesse L. Martin and Wilson Jermaine Heredia.

It all started with this….my first time….my first RENT experience….my first contact with RENT….(which now when I see contact I think…_Hot Hot Hot Sweat Sweet Wet Wet Wet Red Heat_)

By RJ aka TakeMeTakeMeILoveYou


	22. Miss Wallflower

Hey, I think this is the first person who didin't find out about RENT from the movie. Das pretty cool, man. Woohoo.

* * *

I had the pleasure of attending a children's theatre camp in the summer from sixth grade to tenth grade (a place which I now work, actually). My first summer I was in a Musical Theatre Performance class and the teacher had us all go around and say our favorite movie or play. Three or four girls said _Rent_ – I was young, and had no idea what they were talking about, but they seemed like really cool people so I stored the title away in the back of my mind. 

So fast forward two years to the summer before my freshman year. We'd just gotten Dish Network TV, which came with about a billion music channels, and I'd finally come into my own as a theatre person for real, so I was listening to the showtunes channel. It was probably… oh, I don't know. Two-thirty in the morning, and one of my best friends and I were just hanging out; she was playing Neopets on my computer, and I was kind of just lolling about on the couch enjoying the potpourri of musicals being thrown at me.

Up popped "Light My Candle." Said I, "Oh! _Rent! _I've heard of that! Whoa! This is really cool."

Said my friend, "Mehh yeah I guess, grumble grumble I'm playing Neopets."

In an act of divine fate, about two weeks later my voice teacher told me that _Rent _was coming in a tour only an hour from where I lived. Immediately I joined my aforementioned friend in begging our parents to take us – she'd since become interested, to an extent – and we succeeded. We got tickets and I had very little of an idea what it was about; I remembered from a summary online that Angel was a drag queen and that there were lesbians and drugs and whatnot, but that's about it.

We settled in to watch; despite the fact that I needed glasses at the time and didn't know it, and we were in the balcony, I have a pretty good recall of the show. My dad whispered when Mark started singing that I was getting starry-eyed, but I didn't care. I was jolted with the electricity of it all, and by the end I was hyperventilating a little (that's what I do when I get sad during shows, instead of crying; my eyes for some reason can't produce tears over fiction, but I still shake and sigh like I'm crying) and freaking out. I went home and ordered the CD off the internet.

A week later I'd turned my other best friend on to _Rent_. A month later, two more "converts" as it were. By the same time next year, about a month before the movie came out, over half of my close friends were Rentheads and we went _en masse _to the movie (which, although I love the show more, I was quite fond of). _Rent _got me through that year, my sophomore year, otherwise known as the Worst Year of My Life (I didn't get cast in the school play, one of my dearest friends and I had a huge fight that lasted almost the whole year, I was in a car accident, etcetera) and I credit it with bringing me harder and deeper into the musical theatre world. I was lucky to see it again when Anthony and Adam came back to New York this summer. Its emotions are timeless and its score is amazing, and without it I'd definitely be less of myself.

By Miss Wallflower


	23. Lynne The Canuck

Now here we have something special. An account from a person who is not a screaming teenage fangirl. I think this is a really, REALLY great thing to post, becasue it shows contrast with all of the wonderful accounts from people who fell in lovewith RENT as teenagers or kids. It's been said that RENT doesn't speak for a generation, it speaks TO a generation. But what isn't added is that it keeps of speaking, as we see here (if you've read my other work, I just shamelessly plagairized myself).

* * *

I first heard of "Rent", in its childhood, in 1996. At the time, I was 33 years old, and living on the US West Coast, and the play had just moved to Broadway on the East Coast. There was no national tours scheduled at the time, but there was talk about Tony Awards.

I had some minor misgivings about the production, based upon what I had heard, second-hand, through the media. It was described as gritty, containing controversial subject matter (which I was attracted to), but there was some other element that the few reviews that I read about it - as I did not actively seek out information about the musical - that dissuade me from further interest.

I cannot recall, 11 years later, what those negative elements were. I also was not prepared to use what free income I had to travel across the country to see it. Of course, now, I wish I had done so, considering the stellar quality of the material and the OBC cast.

However, when the movie version of the play was released at the end of November in 2005, I decided to see it in order to analyze the previous critiques of the play.

What I saw and heard was not what I was expecting. The music was as good, even better, than most of what I had been exposed to over the past four decades (and I enjoy most classical operas, and 20th century musicals by such composers as Gilbert and Sullivan, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Rogers and Hammerstein).

I loved some of the earlier theatrical rock musical pioneers (I hope this theatrical genre doesn't die out), such as the Who's "Tommy", "Jesus Christ, Superstar" (as an Atheist, I loved this perspective on Xianity), and Pink Floyd's "The Wall".

Later (in the 1980s & 1990s), came outstanding musicals -- again, by European composers: "Les Miserables" (fantastic), "Miss Saigon" (same composers, Schonberg and Boubil), some of Rice and Lloyd Webbers' compositions, and "Aida".

The sociological and psychological depth and interactions of the characters that one person created in "Rent", was astonishing. Each song took the observer deeper within the world in which these controversial characters lived. This, indeed, is what makes Jonathan Larson's work immortal. The populace of his composition is not static, two-dimensional caricatures (to coin a term by the Canadian literary analyst, Northrop Frye). They could be your neighbours or family members.

As in "La Boheme", tuberculosis or AIDS (or, homosexuality) is not the issue that anchors the work. Rather, it is the common struggle with the 'slings and arrows of outrageous fortune' that makes the modern observer relate to - and feel an Aristotelian catharsis through - this emotionally intense musical.

Additionally, because of the genre and compositional talent, the emotions of the characters are further revealed -- to an extent that is not possible with the libretto, alone -- through the power of music.

It is hard to say if the impact of the themes and emotion of "Rent" would have had the same impact in the hands of any other composer than Jonathan Larson.

By Lynne the Canuck


	24. x Rajah x

She makes a wonderful point in this account (as you will read): there are so many first times when it comes to RENT. You never really stop discovering things about the show and what it makes you feel. You also have the occaisonal INSANELY AMAZING AND INCREDIBLY MIRACULOUS EXPERIENCE WITH TWO OF THE MOST AMAZING PERFORMERS ON THE PLANET...(ahem) but I'm not bitter.

No, I'm really not, even though no one believes me. Anyway, have a great time reading this. I did.

* * *

I've been a RENThead for more than a year now.

Now my experiences make me wonder how I ever survived without it. It is my life- there is not a single day that passes by that I don't think of RENT.

My RENT rollercoaster ride has been full of many "first times" and it is these "first times" that truly make me feel blessed.

Of course, there's the first time I was ever exposed to RENT... which is obviously important. Quite honestly, I knew next to nothing about RENT before I watched it. I never saw a single preview for it on TV.It was kind of a whim, just a random decision... one that most definitely changed my life.

Right at the beginning of my freshman year, my cousin called me and I picked up the phone.

"Would you be interested in watching RENT?"

I hardly knew a thing about the movie, but I said yes, and soon I was squeezed onto a couch with several other good friends. I'll admit, the first time I watched it, I had trouble finding the true message and power in it. I loved the movie right away, but in NO way like I love it now.

Sometime later, however, I was obsessed. I'm sure all my friends at school got so annoyed when I talked about it, but finally, my good friend (with whom I created a RENT fansite) saw it... at my house during a sleepover. I think I got her hooked.

Now we're both RENTheads. I've watched the movie countless times, I even snuck it into school on a day the teacher was absent and convinced the substitute to let us watch it.

But that's only my experiences with the movie.

In December 2006 , I saw the RENT: Now! Tour, my first time seeing RENT live, ever, and I cried. It was too amazing. I counted down the days like a crazy woman. Me, my cousin, and a bunch of other RENThead friends took a 3 hour drive to the place where RENT was playing, and sat REALLY HIGH UP. Even though we couldn't see everything all that well, the experience was my first RENT musical experience, and it was AWESOME.

But that's nothing compared to my RENT first time on Broadway.

The main reason I was so eager to submit this story to this is because of the title, "Your First Time." It describes my RENT life so well, because RENT was so full of wonderful firsts.

I saw RENT on Broadway with my cousin on August 14th, 2007. This was not only my first time seeing RENT on Broadway, but it was also my first Broadway show EVER.

It was also the best night of my life. Without a single doubt.

At eight o'clock, at the Nederlander Theatre in NYC, my life changed. I mean, mere words alone cannot describe it. Pure magic, beauty, and emotion. Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal are not done any kind of justice with the word awesome and any of its synonyms.

As if the show wasn't enough, we were INCREDIBLY BLESSED to score a backstage tour, through a RENT connection. Walking on that stage mere moments after the show ended and behind the scenes was... phenomenal. And our night...(coughcough LIVES!) were made complete by meeting many of the cast members and getting playbills signed by the entire cast.

We met ANTHONY RAPP AND ADAM PASCAL. We even got a picture with Adam. I mean, ADAM PASCAL put an arm around me. A ONE-ARMED HUG! I shook ADAM PASCAL's hand. We held substantial conversations with both Anthony and Adam, away from the pressure of the stagedoor, and for that I feel so lucky. I'm a very happy RENThead.

This entire experience, my life since RENT found me, has been the single most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. I get all emotional talking about it, I get all defensive about it, and I gush about my RENT experiences nonstop.

But I'm sure, as RENTheads yourselves, you understand? Haha. Hopefully because of this, my story doesn't sound TOO cheesy.

And that is the story of my RENT "first times". I can only hold tight and enjoy the ride as my crazy RENThead life continues onward, marching to the beat of the songs that have become my life mottos.

By x Rajah x


	25. TheHeartYearns

Yay! I totally agree about "meeting" favorite actors. I had that with Gwen Stewart, which is in the Top Three Greatest and Most Incredible Experiences of My Life. You'll all see what I;m talking about in a bit...I realize it's stupid to do my comments up at the top...but oh well.

* * *

So, it's around October '05. Wait, no. September. No. October. I think. Yes. Okay. Moving on. It's October, I'm thirteen, in eighth grade. I'm at my friend's house for her birthday. We're just hanging out, going through her music player or something, when we stumble upon the Grease soundtrack. Now, I'd heard of Grease, but I never really knew what it was about. My parents weren't very into musicals, and so I was one of those rare people that hadn't seen Grease. So my friend made me watch it. I liked it. So then I was suddenly obsessed with musicals.

All right, fast-forwarding. It's November of '05. I'm downstairs in my basement, most likely curled up on the couch underneath a large blanket, watching television with my family. A commercial for this movie called RENT comes on. I didn't really think too much about it, until my mom said something like, "Oh, that's a musical. You'd love it." Which, of course, excited me. My mom promised to take me to see it. Unfortunately, we never found the time. I kept the movie in the back of my mind for a while. I remember a bunch of people singing "Seasons of Love" at callbacks for the school play.

So now it's February (of '06, of course) and I see a commercial for the DVD, being released on the 21st. It turns out that I was going to be on winter break (or something to that effect) during that week, and my dad will be home. I basically begged him to bring me to the video store the moment it opened, so I'd be able to rent a copy right away. (Let me just point out that I rented RENT. Squeeee. Okay, moving on.) And so I watched it. I remember having SUCH high expectations for the movie, and at first I was just kind of like, "huh?" I kept going back-and-forth, from, "Oh hey this is amazing!" to "What the hell am I watching?" I watched it all on subtitles because I was afraid to miss anything.

The first time I started to cry was during Without You. And when I say crying, I mean sobbing. And I didn't stop crying (sobbing) until What You Own, and then started up again by the time Mimi told Roger "I should tell you...I love you," during Finale A. And cried the whole time. I knew this movie was something really special.

The next day we went on a hunt for the movie, seeing as it was sold out everywhere. I remember walking into Circuit City and asking where the DVD section was, and having the salesman go, "It's over there, but if you're looking for copies of RENT, we're sold out." So funny. I ended up buying it at a random video store no where near my house. I think I went home and watched it again.

The rest of my memory is kind of fuzzy, but I know I came back to school after break raving about the movie to everyone who would listen. I was probably searching online for  
everything I could learn about the cast and the history of the show as well.

I remember this being around April, when my friend, (who I'd temporarily turned into a Renthead) borrowed a copy of the OBCR, and made a copy of it for herself. But not for me, oddly enough. I borrow it all the time, though, because she doesn't listen to it anymore. I remember being appalled at Daphne's voice compared to Rosario's, although now I prefer Daphne's Mimi. I saw the show on Broadway for the first time on September 16th, 2006. I was in love, while my mother sat next to me asking annoying plot-related questions and I tried not to sing along and annoy the people around me.

Between that day and today, I think I've done about ten projects in school relating to or somehow including RENT in one form or another. It's sickening.

OH MY GOSH HOW COULD I FORGET. I was just about to be like, "Thanks for reading" when I haven't mentioned August 11th, 2007. How could I forget? Holy Rogerpants! (Coined that one myself ;) That's the day I saw Anthony and Adam!!!! Ahh best day of my life. Their performance was great and it was so surreal to be there, seeing them perform live. I had to fight myself really hard not to break out into hysterics. Really. The second Anthony walked out onstage I could feel my eyes filling with tears of joy and my bottom lip trembling. I held it together, though, because I was sitting in between my friend and her mom and it would have been awkward. I didn't get to meet them at the stage door, but seeing them perform was an amazing experience in itself and I'm so grateful I was able to go see them. I mean, I wasn't really too upset about being unable to meet them, anyway, because, by my standards, it wouldn't really be meeting them. It would be more like, "OH HAY ANTHONY/ADAM COULD U PLZ SIGN MY PLAYBILL KTHNXBYE" which I wouldn't really count as 'meeting' them. My definition of 'meeting' a favorite actor of mine would be a chance to speak to them and tell them how much I admire their work and their performance and whatnot. Okay, done babbling.

Oh, random things I forgot to add:

1) Because of RENT, I'm now the HUGEST Idina Menzel fangirl in the entire world. If it wasn't for RENT, I probably wouldn't have discovered her wonderfulmusic. Seriously, people. Listen to her stuff. It's amazing.

2) Originally, I don't know why, but I thought Idina was Tracie and vice versa. I was really confused when I read the end credits, lol

3) I hated Mimi when I first saw the movie and thought it was just her character until I saw Tamyra Gray and realized it was Rosario the whole time.

4) "Wanna see my tango pose?" ß Just thought of that randomly; I love the commentary.

RENT has really changed my life. I try to live each day to the fullest and live by the "no day but today" kind of attitude. I think I have a completely different outlook on life after seeing the show. Also, my views on homosexuality, stereotypes, etc have changed. I'm much more accepting of people's opinions and ideas and I'm very into being my own person and not caring what everyone else thinks of me.

By Vicki aka The Heart Yearns (I hope this is the right pen name)


	26. Stephanie Pascal with a bit of Panda

I was listeing to SoL while I read this, and it got me all darn emotional. By the way...I never really said anything about seeing Adam and Anthony. It was totally surreal, just as everyone else said. I still couldn't believe that those voices that I knew so goddamn well were actually being sung by the actual people...I had this whole joke with two of my best friends (who came with me to see Adam and Anthony the first time) about how they were robots...I practically convinced myself they really were! At stagedoor, there was such a giant crowd that I got shoved up against Anthony's "getaway car", as I christened it. There were a milliond people everywhere, and I was practically sitting on his hood. But that meant he spent about tne minutes right up close to me when he was signing for all the people who dived onto the hood. I talked with him a bit (SQUEE) and tried not to stare at the bright-white hair on his arms. Cute little albino pumpkinhead...god, they were both so wonderful.

And that last night...it was beyond belief. Adam and Anthony threw themselves into everything, and you coudl tell they knew it was really the last time they were going to play those parts on that stage. One Song Glory, La Vie Boheme, and Halloween were so heartbreaking, but What You Own beat them all. Totally. Solidly. I will never forget that song, nor will I ever forget that whole night. And they were crying, especially during Goodbye, Love (the Roger/Mark scene, which was also incredibly wonderful and painful to watch). Adam had hurt his hand when he fell during Happy New Year earlier in the day...hee. Silly Adam. And when they came out for their final bow, they had this long hug and then grinned like idiots for their bow together. I couldn't stop sobbing (through the whole show actually). I met Allan Gordon, one of the original producers, and talked with Chris and Kyle for a bit. It was amazing...so amazing...HRRM. Sorry.

ANYWAY, my ranting is over. I am sorry, I am a selfish person and I am taking up all the space for this fantastic account. I did not mean to hijack this chapter. So here you go, and enjoy!

* * *

Ahem. Right. (Ahaha, would you believe that when I wrote the capital R in Right, I acidentally, out of habit, typed 'Roger'?) So, in my profile, I sort of go into detail, but here I will elaborate as much as humanly possible. 

The first time I was exposed to RENT was many a year ago, when my friend Annie asked me if I'd ever seen it. I said no, and she always told me, "You should watch it, you'd love it so much!" but I really never got to watching it. And then my friend Ali, who one-ups me in everything, had it all over her profile in AIM. I clearly remember it: "Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes." And I, like every non-RENTie, said, "WOW! What a random number of minutes!"

I vaguely heard Seasons of Love on her MySpace page once or twice, but never really let the music filter into my head.

The day of the actual occurrence was 4/20 (I find that hilarious. XD). April twentieth, I've checked tons of calendars. It was a Sunday, the day before my mom and dad's anniversary/Aunt's birthday. The night before, my parents had rented "Guess Who" with Ashton Kutcher, and we watched the previews. I saw the preview for RENT, and, well, I instantly was like OMG! I'VE GOTTA SEE THAT!

I literally threw the clicker halfway across the room. My dad goes, "Wow, that woman can sing," and pointed to Tracie doing her "Measure, measure your life in loOOOOOOOVE!!!" thang. I agreed, and just simply the song itself, the deepness yet indirectness of it captured me so very strongly.

That whole night, we watched the movie, and yet I was captivated by RENT. I was thinking about the song, trying to remember it, singing it when I walked up to bed that night. Then, the next day came, and I ordered my mother to bring me to Blockbuster to get this movie.

I came home and instantly put it in, and I was practically bouncing with excitement as Seasons of Love came on. When they first started singing, I think I literally might have squeed. Seasons of Love was my favorite song.

...then came the exciting camera move, and Anthony's pale head. I loved how it right off began with "shit," I'm such a badmouth that that piqued my interest. But then the rock-and-roll music of the song Rent began, and that became my favorite song.

And then Adam was revealed.

Oh, my God, he was my favorite character. Hands down. He was just so... his voice! It's so hard to explain it even now. I loved how it was so casual, how the 'long-haired guy' and 'the guy with the camera' looked so natural and so... happy to be singing a song of this nature. I sensed the ease between them. The rock-and-roll fire out the window—jeez, that song just did it for me. I was _hooked_.

You'll See was a lot of confusion for me. I sort of caught that 'long-haired guy's name was Roger, but that was it. And that Maureen was having a protest.

-almost passes out- Oh, entree One Song Glory here.

This song... just... I don't know. It reached my heart, that it did. My aunt came in around the middle of this song, but it didn't distract me. I remember April, realizing that she had had HIV, and I thought that she'd _died _from HIV. And I actually thought that Roger was singing about April during that song as well. Like, the _whole _song was about her. She was his 'glory.'

I know, I'm wrong. Don't throw stuff at me.

Then Light My Candle came on.

Hoo boy. This was an aaaaaawkward scene to watch with my dear Aunt, simply because I wasn't sure if it was gonna be a total sex scene or something. I had a few qualms with this song (hides). The way that the song didn't really rhyme drove me nuts, and the way Rosario sang simply pushed me over the edge. However, I liked how it was such storytelling in a song, and, duh, 'long-haired guy' was singing.

I think Mimi's name was the only one I completely was sure about during that entire movie. (note from Panda: EXACTLY.)

The scene after that I simply loved, I loved the 'long-haired guy' and 'the guy with the camera' action. However, I still didn't catch the Maureen-Mark exness... so I was quite confused.

I loved Collins, and Today 4 U was a total WTF for me. I just... I didn't get it, at all. Angel was fantastic! But I didn't get the story.

The Tango: Maureen was my favorite song in the entire show. Hands down. When I first got the DVD, all I did was watch that scene over and over... and over. I loved the harmonies, LOVED the dancing, and I simply loved 'soloist from Seasons of Love woman's voice.

Will I? was kind of skimmed over, and Out Tonight was weird with my Aunt. However, I loved the song, loved its message. Into Another Day... that was another _great _song. I loved Roger's character so much, how tortured he was, and how afraid he was. But I also loved Mimi's character—so willing to... be outgoing.

I wanted them to get together, really bad.

The following scene made me feel so sad for Roger... how he wouldn't come out of the house. Oh, man, I felt for him so much. Life Support passed... and when he went, I wanted to give him a hug. Really bad. That one shot when he's walking in the cold with his hands shoved in his pockets... that almost broke my heart, it did.

Santa Fe made me love the character of Collins even more. How he could dance like that... sheesh.

I'll Cover You was adorable! And then the protest... was interesting? I was like... umm... okay...

La Vie Boheme. Oh, my GOD, I LOVED THIS SCENE. Just as much, if not more, as the Tango. I loved the music, the freeness of it, the rapid fire references... I loved Roger even more so toward the end. I didn't register the Evita/Akita thing until maybe my third time watching the movie. Then, I Should Tell You... I picked up that Mimi had AIDS. So that made Collins, Angel, and Mimi HIV positive.

I didn't know Roger had AIDS.

At that point, I thought it was over and was incredibly sad, but then the Seasons of Love reprise came on and I was happy again. I loved the New Year and didn't get the "It's not my Bar Mitzvah!" thing... and still don't. :)

Take Me or Leave Me was hot! I desperately wanted to sing Maureen's part, and do now with my cousin Sara, who takes Joanne's altered part like the Broadway way.

Without You was sad, and it didn't strike me that "Mimi" and "long-haired guy" were singing it until maybe the third time watching it.

Angel's funeral almost made me cry. I'll Cover You Reprise was so strong, Jesse was just... agh! He was amazing. Goodbye Love made me even sadder, even though I didn't get anything, and What You Own put the icing on the cake... this movie was worship-worthy.

The Finale was beautiful, and I was terrified that Mimi would die. I didn't cry, but simply angsted along with Roger, and adored Adam's amazing performance. When she lived and they sang the reprise (though I hated the traveling towards the bright, white light! thing) of Another Day and all the other songs... and the film ended, I was ready to worship the gods of whoever wrote this incredible piece.

And boy did I ever. I had promptly bought the movie soundtrack, and then Wiki'd it and found out the plot, watched it a thousand more times. I found out about the OBCR and got that, learned every single syllable. RENT had quickly consumed my life. Around this time, on this site, I discovered the return of Adam and Anth.

And I begged. I begged, I cried, and I succeeded. We booked the date and I counted down the hours. I endured the long and agonizing car ride, and the moment me, my mom, my dad, and Sara turned the corner and laid on the eyes of the Nederlander Theatre, I did the one thing I'd never done before.

I squeed.

Twice, three times, four times... the squees were flying about the air. Sara and I jumped about, and I went and took pictures of the theatre... as my father looked at a praying mantis that had perched itself on the info about The Line.

That night was the best of my life. I cried all the way throughout Tune Up #1—One Song Glory, and I laughed my butt off during Light My Candle and all of Roger's silliness. Anthony's hole spiel in Tune Up #1 got me laughing, thinking, WOW, AM I REALLY HERE?!, and then when he spun that camera to Adam... God.

Just the moment Adam walked on stage was probably the best of my life. Just... God, my breath was GONE.

During Goodbye Love I almost started crying, but Your Eyes really got me... I didn't cry, but when I went home and watched the movie for the first time since NYC, I cried during Your Eyes... even now the song makes me tear up.

This has changed my life completely and utterly. RENT has altered me in so many ways. I live for the moment, I love, I open up, and I have something that I like to call my favorite. RENT is my favorite thing, it's the best thing that's happened to me. I could rant here, but I guess we all could... it saved me from a number of things, including myself.

Well, now that I've wasted about an hour of your life telling you what you already know, I shall leave you with the brilliant words of our main man J. Larry: "TELL THE FOLKS AT HOME WHAT YOU'RE DOING, ROGER!" XD (Why did I pick that, of all quotes? Well, because it's original... not everybody goes around preaching that.)

By Stephanie aka Stephanie Pascal


	27. TakeMeOrLeaveMe2010

WOO! I loved this so much. And guess what? I've finally psoted everything sent in! So don't send anything else in.

NO, I AM TOTALLY KIDDING. PLEASE SEND AS MUCH AS YOU CAN IN. I CAN'T WAIT TO READ MORE!

--your friendly neighborhood Panda

* * *

My first time seeing RENT, huh?

Well, I can't say it was very interesting.

My friend Hannah had parents who had a vast stash of Broadway soundtracks. Aida, A Chorus Line, Wicked, you name it. I've been a musical theatre person for most of my life, so for my birthday, she gave me the soundtrack to_Monty Python's Spamalot _(also one of my favorites) as well as RENT.

I'm not going to lie and say I fell instantly in love with RENT. I actually listened to_Spamalot_ first, and so began that phase.

Finally, one afternoon when I was sick of blasting _Spamalot _ or _Wicked_ out of my stereo, I popped in the little white CD (it was burned) into the player.

For most of the first act, I had no idea what the hell was going on. First of all, I was having trouble figuring out who was who by the voices (I thought it was Mark and Mimi doing _Light My Candle_ until the end of the song). I figured out that Angel was a drag queen after listening to_Today 4 U_ a thousand times and finally realizing why they were calling her "she." The first song that I really got into was _La Vie Boheme_. I wasn't sure who they were singing to or why, but the words stuck out to me.

_To being an us for once, instead of a them?_

_To dance, no way to make a living, masochism, pain, perfection?_

_Film, adventure, tedium, no family, boring locations?_

It made SENSE. I laughed merrily through the whole thing. Never had I heard such a song that rung so true to me. It didn't matter that I was in my very early teens and I had no idea was masochism or Absolut or the Village Voice was, I was so enthralled that an eight minute song could sum up how I felt about the world, government, social issues, so on and so on. I eagerly popped in the next CD.

Finally, a song I recognized! Of course, everyone knew "Seasons of Love." As the CD continued, I finally figured out the couples. "Take Me or Leave Me" got me up on my feet, attempting to mouth words and scream to an imaginary lover. I calmed down a little bit, and the CD pounded out the soulful songs (which didn't strike me then), finally ending.

I was satisfied, but not in love. And so the white CDs return to on top of my dresser, collecting dust for God knows how long.

Months later, not long after the movie came out, my sister came back home from college with her girlfriend. Leaving the next day, they treated me out to a movie, which we eventually decided would be RENT. I sort of knew the story line now, and I was interested to see what the movie was like.

As soon as the lights came up on the dark screen, the famous eight standing on the stage, I smiled widely. I recognized all of them, except Joanne (I already knew who Rosario Dawson was). Blushing a little when the camera did a close up of Adam Pascal (who has only gotten ever more handsome with age), I silently mouthed the "Seasons of Love."

This is when I fell in love with RENT. The connection you get from actually seeing people play out these characters and see them go through the songs is so much different than listening to it on a CD. While I was a little sad some vocals had weakened a bit, others had only grown stronger.

Now, I'm a pretty cynical, sarcastic person, and I NEVER cry at movies, books, etc. But when that scene of Collins holding a dying Angel faded slowly off the screen, I could feel a few tears springing to my eyes.

Most of the rest of the movie was ruined by stupid, immature preteens sitting behind me who obviously had never seen a drag queen before and were like "Oh. My. God. That's SO disgusting!" every five minutes. Nevertheless, the second I got home I popped in the soundtrack.

So started my obsession phase. I soon learned every song, every note, every key change, every breath the actor took between phrases, EVERYTHING. I listened to it every morning before I went to school, prompting my friend Lily to say "Why do listen to that? It can't be THAT good." (She's now probably more of a RENT head than I am).

But she just didn't understand. This musical ROCKED. Being on the verge of adolescence, this felt like my first big step into adulthood. No more cheesy, upbeat, feel-good musicals for me. This was a dark, edgy, contemporary masterpiece!

Thank you, Jonathan Larson, for coming into my life. I won't say it's changed me forever, I was pretty bohemian before I started listening to RENT. But RENT made me realize that druggies can be good people with a bad addiction or sacrifices people will make so they can be with someone they love or that even in the face of HIV, you can have wonderful friends.

If you have not seen RENT (I think all of you have D) I encourage you, too. It doesn't matter whether you are gay, straight, liberal, conservative, Democrat, Republican, Christian, Muslim, atheist, anarchist, filmmaker, rock-star, junkie, drag queen, WHATEVER. Somehow, this musical moves in people, in their own unique way. For me, it gave me a voice and strength. What will RENT do for you?

By Katie aka TakeMeOrLeaveMe2010


	28. Ceicbot

First encounter with Rent... let's see. Well, I don't remember exact dates but I remember seeing the trailers and stuff and I always for some reason remembered the image of Angel (at the time I didnt know it was her, of course) running and doing that flip against the wall thing.

The trailer didn't give much to what RENT was about and then soon when the movie came out I heard a few whispers here and there where people were like "oh its so good" and "he's gay" and just random comments. But not many; and I just remember I'd see the commercials and be "whatever" about them. I didnt really notice, didnt get it. Then they slowly went away (the commercials) and I forget, but it was a long time and some friends talked about it and so I decieded that I'd RENT it off of Netflix. It came one day and my mom and sis were there and we were just "oh, whatever, a movie" and then the credits played.

I knew it was a musical, but I thought it was like a Grease one where they go into singing and not, well, the way Rent is. So we're watching it and wow, I just completely was absorbed and even my mom and I'd say right after every song, "Oh, I like that one!". Ugh...when Without You started, I had no idea that beautiful, wonderful (even though his talking parts were limited)Angel was gonna die and being in denial.

After the song and the next scene, his funeral, I was shocked. My mouth hung open. I was freaked, They had the audacity to kill Angel! ANGEL! I was dumbfounded.

After the movie, I watched it again. I recorded the songs on my mp3 player and I was consumed. I had to share with my friends. They didn't care and didnt want to see it, but basically I forced them. They just had to see this, and so eventually I got my other friend hooked. She's not as hardcore as I am, but she went out and bought it and bought me the CD for my b-day (and burned herself a copy). I had to have everything; before all this, I bought the movie and now I'm still waiting for "the bible"-the big black book of RENT-and I've become attached to the OBC. Of course I bought Anthony Rapp's book, which is the most amazing thing ever (I'm hugging it as I type). I'm super-obsessed: everything relates to a song and when I go to L.A (I live in CA) by subway, I HAVE to sing "Santa Fe".

RENT has consumed me, and I'm obsessed. I love it, and I wanna see it live. But unfortunately, I am po'(poor, pronounced: "poe").

By Ceicbot


	29. HarryPotterRENThead

Hey, everyone. HAPPY THREE-DAY WEEKEND! And guess what? I am getting two new kitties today! Ever since before I was born, my family has had cats. But after my mom moved out, we haven't had any at her house. Now we're getting two! HELLS YEAH!

Below is a gorgeous account by a very gifted author. Read and enjoy, I command you.

* * *

Alright. My first time... I have a problem with rambling on and on so, forgive me if this ends up being incredibly long and boring.

It's hard to pinpoint the exact moment I first heard about RENT. I think it was when I went to go to the movies in the summer of 2005 and RENT was in the previews before the movie. The commercial had this song playing about a whole lot of minutes and something about measuring something in love. It had so many images flying by. I didn't understand what it was or what it was about. Based on this, I had no desire to see the movie.

That fall, I was starting high school and one of the new friends I made (Carla), always carried a laptop with her. I asked her why and she opened up a video of the RENT commercial. I remembered it from the summer, but I still didn't really want to see it. Seeing this, Carla played the commercial so much, I ended up memorizing the entire thing within a span of 3 days (I have the WORST memory EVER). After awhile I got really annoyed by the song. I thought it was a really silly song and I hated it (ducks rotten tomatoes). She made a deal with me that she would stop playing it if I saw the movie with her when it came out. I agreed just so I would never have to hear the song again. But fate had other plans.

In October, Carla's laptop got stolen. I no longer had the motivation to go see the movie and RENT got put on the backburner of my mind. Carla still went to see it, but I didn't. She came back to school on Monday, a complete wreck, mumbling something about, "Angel died…I can't believe she died…" This had absolutely no meaning to me whatsoever but I helped her recover. She never mentioned RENT ever again that year.

When I started seeing the commercials on TV and I thought that this "Angel" Carla was mourning was the woman dancing on some stage in a leather skirt/dress. I thought I knew everything I needed to know and never gave RENT a second thought. That is until that summer, that is.

The summer of 2006, my parents signed my up for two 2 week sessions of camp. In the first session, all the girls in my cabin were talking about this movie and playing this song they called "the restaurant song" or "the table dancing song". The lyrics intrigued me. I couldn't believe someone had the guts to write something so full of taboos in society. Eventually, I had parts memorized. I made sure I knew what this movie was and that the moment I got home was going to watch it before I had to come back to the camp for my second session. As you've probably guessed, the movie was RENT and the song was _La Vie Boheme_.

I dragged my dad into Rogers Video and grabbed the first copy of the DVD I could find and rented it. I sat down with my parents and my younger sister (who was 13 at the time). I popped the DVD in and pressed play.

When the chords of _Seasons of Love_ came, I almost groaned. "This was the movie Carla was talking about?" Since everyone at camp had so much faith in it, I kept on going.

After Seasons of Love, there was this guy with a camera. The music starts and he gets on his bike and pedals away singing. The rest of _Rent_ was very alive and fiery (musically and physically!). The tossing of the burning paper seemed odd to me, but it's a movie. They're allowed to do what they want, right?

_You'll See_ kind of confused me. I learned that the guy with long hair was Roger, the bald guy everyone was shouting at was Benny and everyone seemed to hate him, there's some woman named Maureen who's protesting whatever Benny's doing and the guy with the camera was still nameless. We also learned that "guy with the camera" recently was dating and doing the stage management for this Maureen, but she dumped and fired him for her new man: Joanne. Benny's reaction was priceless!

The next shot was of a street drummer drumming. I don't know why, but this made me smile for some reason. I guess I just knew this guy was going to do something important or be really crucial to whatever happened next. I was so glad he found "that guy who got beaten up". I felt so bad he go beaten up. The way they so informally addressed and dismissed the fact they both had AIDS made me step back and say, "This is going to a lot different than most movies I've seen."

Back in "the guy with the camera" and Roger's apartment, "nameless" was going to find their friend Collins, who was mugged and hasn't shown up for this reason. Roger came off as really bitter and I was curious as to why. No sooner had the thought entered my mind, _One Song Glory_ starts, answering my question. The flashbacks of Roger and this redhead were really sad. The drugs bothered me a little, but I was a sheltered child. I had never seen what drugs really looked like or why someone would ever do drugs. When the HIV test part came, it made Roger's pain more understandable. The pain and anguish in his voice seemed so really and his frustration was so clear. I had the strong urge to jump up and give him a hug or to cheer up.

Now, I may get flamed for saying this but, I thought Light My Candle was a little silly, I mean if I were Roger and this girl knock on my door asking for him to light her candle, and invites herself in, I don't think she would have been there much longer. Obviously, he's upset about his girlfriend, who I assume has died of HIV/AIDS related illness, and she just barges into his life. Her shameless flirting definitely pegs this woman as being a bit…well…promiscuous to put it nicely. Despite this, I found respect for her for being so outgoing and confident. She was crafty enough to get Roger's attention (and steal her smack back).

It's the next day and "camera guy" FINALLY had a name: Mark. His mom calls to wish him a merry Christmas (which I find odd now considering Mark's Jewish) and his dad adds some "encouraging words" to help Mark get back up on his horse and find a new girlfriend. Collins gets to the apartment and introduces us to Angel. That had to be the most incredible and coolest moments ever. It took me a minute to realize that that same drummer, who rescued Collins, was the same person in a sparkly Santa coat, white skirt, white top, and super-duper high-heel boots I would never even DREAM about being able to walk in, let alone dance and jump around! My friends at camp had already informed me of this, so I wasn't as surprised, but it still threw me for a loop because he made a really good looking woman! I had never seen a drag queen before in my life so it was quite an experience to see one dancing and singing, dressed up like Santa. All through _Today 4 U_, I remember my sister saying, "Wait, is that a guy? Is that the same guy who helped the black guy after he got beaten up?"

One number that stuck out a lot for me was _The Tango: Maureen_. I was really starting to like Mark's character. But then came the line, "F-ckin' weird!" That line almost stopped me from liking RENT. My parents always taught me that swearing was wrong and doing so excessively was really bad. Using these values, I lost a lot of respect for Mark. But after my third or fourth viewing of the movie, I realized that by swearing, it emphasized Mark's point to Joanne that Maureen will cheat on her.

The Life Support scenes made me really depressed. There was just this air of sadness about it. I didn't really know much about HIV/AIDS except that it had no cure. Whenever I thought of HIV/AIDS, I thought of starving kids in Africa since that's who most HIV/AIDS charities are trying to help. These scenes in particular really put it in a new light and a new perspective.

_Out Tonight_ was a little awkward to watch with my parents. My sister almost ruined _Another Day_ by asking me to explain, "Why is Roger being such an ass?" A question I had no answer for until after thinking about it for a long time.

My sister kept asking what was going on in _Santa Fe_ since they were (and I quote) "randomly dancing for no apparent reason" on the Subway.

Quite possibly, my favorite part of the movie was _I'll Cover You_. The love between Angel and Collins was so infectious and so heart-warming. I had never really been exposed to homosexual relationships and what they meant. I mean, the media portrays gay men as being excessively flamboyant and into fashion, etc. Yeah, sure that does exist, but there is this whole other side to it. I never would have thought Collins was gay until he sang that song. The first "gay guy" kiss I ever saw was in this scene and I think I actually cheered. I know I do now.

_Over the Moon_ was a little weird for me, but I liked the quirkiness of it. I was starting to get into it and almost mooed.

_La Vie Boheme_ was a little awkward to watch with my parents but I didn't care anymore. I was singing along where I knew the words, I laughed at certain lines, I understood the song better with a visual of the events taking place. Everyone looked like they were having so much fun in both La Vie Boheme and the reprise of it after _I Should Tell You_. Everyone was happy and had someone. Well everyone but Mark, but that's beside the point.

The second half I watched almost in a daze of wonderment. _Take Me or Leave Me_ was so incredible to watch. It was just amazing to see the energy and the loving hate Maureen and Joanne have for each other.

When _Without You_ started, the images on screen made my heart break. Mimi looked like she was trying so hard to give up smack and Roger, by her side helping her. Then the image of Angel curled up in a ball, sweating in Collins' loving arms. All I was thinking was, "No! Angel can't die!" When Angel was in the hospital, I started crying. I knew this was the end. I was sobbing quietly into a pillow when Angel died in Collins' arms.

My tears only came faster and harder when Collins started singing their song only it was slower, sadder and heart-wrenchingly beautiful. I have never cried so hard because of a movie. I wanted to bury my face into the pillow, but I couldn't look away.

_Goodbye Love_ frustrated me because everyone was acting like idiots for fighting at a funeral. I just felt so emotionally spent by the time Roger walked away.

_What You Own_ helped me recover a little. It was so powerful and it lifted be from the sadness I was feeling.

The Finale brought me back to the sadness when Mimi almost died. I was so relieved she didn't die. Mark's film would have made me feel like everything had come full circle but I missed most of the song. Why? Because my sister inconsiderately yells, "I don't get it!" and my dad explains what has just happened and the two of them continue to debate what happened despite my several shushes. Once it ended, I yelled at them for ruining the end of an amazing movie and stormed up to my room to mull over what I had just watched for the last 2 hours.

Since I was going back to camp the day after I saw RENT, I didn't really get a chance to acquaint myself further with movie. I wanted to look up everything to do with RENT, but after 2 weeks at camp, it got put on the backburner and forgotten.

On November 21rst, exactly one week before my 15th birthday, I was reminiscing about my summer. I immediately thought of that song my cabin mates played during the first session. I googled it and lyrics and videos came up. I came across RENT 10 clips and was amazed it was also a Broadway play. I researched everything about it and the rest, they say, was history.

That Christmas I got the movie and the movie soundtrack from my parents and sisters and a burned copy of the OBCR from a friend who, I introduced RENT to. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, my dad pulls out two plane tickets and two tickets to see RENT in New York City! I screamed so loud, the neighbors heard me (and I am a really quiet person normally). That February, my dad and I flew down to New York on the 2nd and I saw RENT on the 3rd (the day before what would have been Jonathan's 47th birthday!). Words do not describe how wonderful it was to be sitting in the Nederlander watching RENT.

I know this is going to sound a little clichéd, but, Thank You Jonathan Larson. I don't know what would have happened if I had never found RENT. It's had such an impact on my life. I'm more socially aware of issues like poverty, homosexuality, HIV/AIDS, drugs and drug abuse, and so much more. People ask me what RENT is all about. I really don't have an answer for them that can really sufficiently summarize the amazing gift RENT is. It is what you make of it. RENT is about love, loss, life, and living each day as if it's the last day of your life. It's about forgetting regret and going about each day with your head held high, unashamed of who you are.

Well, I've been going on for long enough. Thanks for taking the time to read this and letting me share my experience with you. I know this was incredibly long, but that's my story.

By Alison a.k.a. HarryPotterRENThead


	30. Gilnda The Bestest

Well... Here's how it goes... I have always LOVED musicals and LOVED performing. But one day I was on my first holiday out of Australia and I was at Universal studios. I saw an Ad for Wicked and immediatly wanted to see it... but... unfortunatly... never got the chance.

I forgot all about it untill a year later when my music teacher was teaching me to sing Collins' part of I'll Cover You. She gave me a copy of Rent and a copy of Wicked, because she thought I would like Wicked. I immediatly put RENT (OBC) in the CD player when I got home and found that... well. I thought it was the most annoying thing I had ever heard. I switched it for Wicked and fell in love. I fell in love with the songs.. the music... the actors and actresses...

About a year later I was on YouTube and looking up my two fave actresses: Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth. I search Kristin Chenoweth first and watched ALL of the vids to do with her (I fell in love with Music Man and Your a Good Man Charlie Brown that way). Then it came to Idina Menzel and it came up with her singing Take Me or Leave Me on the first page, I thought it looked interesting and I clicked on it. I fell in LOVE with it... I looked at the name of the musical and to my surprise it was RENT. I went and I dug up my old CD, I listened to it so often it scratched. Then I was watching today for and reading the reviews on YouTube and... well... someone said that it was too bad that Angel dies and I was like:

"WHAT... NO! HE CANT!!! I LOVE HIM!!!"

That night my best friends parents happened to be going to a video library and I was like:

"Hey Sophia," (She's my bestie by the way) "Do you want to get out... RENT?"

And we found it and couldn't wait to watch it. We watched it once and by the end I was under a spell, the musical had me laughing and sobbing. I loved everything about it. We watched it three more times that night. My dad made me a copy of it and I watch it at least once a week. I always cry. I love Angel. I wish that she didn't have to die. 8 months later I still love it every bit as much... if not much more as I did back then. I have BOTH cast recordings on my MP3 and listen to them every day. RENT is my life and it is my dream to be in it one day. Without it I wouldnt be who I am today.

Angel taught me to always be happy and be the best person you can be because you never know when time will run out and the lyrics just inspire me everyday. I love RENT and will until the day I die.

VIVA LA VIE BOHEME!!!!! (hehe, I had to put that.)

By Aacacia aka Glinda The Bestest


	31. EnjoyingObsession

Wootles.

* * *

When I was eleven I started a new camp and made a lot of friends there. Two of the girls in my cabin really loved musicals so they would play Wicked all the time. I kind of liked musicals but wasn't really into them, but then I fell in love with Wicked and I was always listening to the CD.

I discovered Evita that year too so I was starting to be into Broadway. One day I was on the Internet and I had nothing to do. I remembered in a kind of abstract way that one of my camp friends liked RENT (and that it was a musical) so I googled it and came across the opening page there has this little animation clip and the last few lines of Finale B. Just those few lines, "I die without you/No day but today" were absolutely haunting. I fell in love immediately. I browsed through the website, listening to audio and such. I tried to read a synopsis but it was too complicated- it said Angel one line and then later referred to Angel as "he?" I loved the music though. I memorized all the sound clips and when I finished them, I bought the highlights OBC CD. I remember that I liked La Vie Boheme and wanted to hear the full version, I'd never heard One Song Glory but lots of people said it was good, and I'd hear a short clip of Light My Candle, which sounded strange but good.

I adored the album, bought more Rent songs, saw the movie and read the full musical script. This was before I'd heard all the songs, so I read it like a straight scene or poetry. The first time I heard Goodbye Love on YouTube, it was haunting. I sang it to myself over and over. I read the NYTW script and managed to get the songs. I bought Rent memorabilia. I wrote fan fiction. Years later, I still love it.

By Lani aka Enjoying Obsession


	32. KissTheRainbow

Ask me what my favourite movie is. Go on. I will tell you.

Rent.

Ask me what my favourite musical is.

Rent.

Ask me what I watch every night – even if it is only of short pieces of it.

Rent.

Ask me what one thing that I could think of that has changed my life.

Rent.

You get the point now.

I remember the first time I got RENT, I was shopping at HMV (the college was out for the day and I had to wait five hours for my bus home and it was freezing) so there I was, spending nearly four hours walking around the store, not buying anything.

I could feel somebody watching me, and sure enough it was one of the staff – I smiled awkwardly at him.

'Damn.' I thought, 'I better buy something before he throws me out into the snow.'

I then walked over to the musical section; it was coming up to my mum's birthday you see.

I peeked into my purse to see what my budget was; I needed to get home as well. A tenner. Not bad.

So I went through all of the DVDs that was £10 or under, Sound of the Music, the King and I, Rocky Horror Show. Got them all. Rent. Now what is that?

My watch bleeped – telling me I only had few minutes before I need to get to the bus stop.

Rent, why not? So I rushed over to the checkout, grinning at the male staff, waving the Rent DVD.

When it was all paod for, I stuffed it into my backpack, which I now regret.

It was forgotten for couple of days until one of my friends has come over for a sleepover – she wanted to see the DVD but like me, she has seen all of the movies I had.

She kept moaning at me about how boring my movie collection was – to tell you the truth, I was surprised about this outburst as I have over 200 DVDs. What can I say; my family are large movie/TV fans.

I decided that I might as well do my homework while she was moaning and surfing through all of my movies once again.

Rent fell out of the front pocket. Oh, so that was where it was – I was looking high and low for it the night before my mum's birthday. In the end, I has to give up my beloved musical DVDs collection to her (this does not includes Rocky Horror Show).

I might as well build up the collection again, I thought.

'ALISE! I found a movie!' I yelled as I could still hear her complaining to herself.

I swears I would have died of shock when she came running, screaming and then lunging herself on me. I guess she was desperate to watch a movie – as my dad has brought a new wide screen TV.

I have set it all up – settled down on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and a book to read in case the movie was a drag.

The titles rolled on – and then the music came on. Soon enough, the popcorn was forgotten and was eaten by Alise by the end and the book had fallen onto the floor and ended up as a victim to my cat's sharp claws.

I have managed to tune out her nit-picking of the movie – to me, Rent was perfect.

And since that night, I was never the same.

I watch Rent every single day – even if it is just a few snips of it.

I have seen the Musical, Rent Remixed in London, it was not as good as I would like it to be.

I have turned all of my family and most of my friends in RENTheads.

My sister and I are saving up our money to go to America to watch Rent the musical live.

My views of people have changed dramatically (before I would look twice) but now I would not batter an eyelid. In fact, I have gained many great friends, from a cross dresser to a gay boy.

By Lara aka KissTheRainbow


	33. TBA

Hey, guys. Here's another one with no pen name; include them, please! And also, PLEASE spellcheck and edit! It's not fun to do it again and again...anyway, love you guys. Weeee. Panda is low-energy, can't you tell?

By the way, I'm so sad about the Broadway stagehand strike. My mom's friend was planning a big weekend to New York with HER mother and they were gonna see Wicked...but now they probably won't be able to. Awww. Anyway, we all love stagehands, so let's give them a hug!

* * *

My first time seeing RENT was when my ex-girlfriend Cari told me about it. I was about 14 and I had no clue what Broadway was at that point and time. She had told me about it over and over and how I needed to see it so finally I gave up and rented it. I fell in love with the movie. RENT was the first thing that got me into Broadway plays. I was obsessed with it for the longest time. And it also helped me figure out that I was a lesbian; it took awhile for me to accept that. RENT did a lot for me. I have a lot of great friends now, that I met through fanfiction and they introduced me into even more broadway plays. And my dreams come true: on March 15, I'm going to see RENT live! My second Broadway play (the first was Sweeney Todd)... 

It also introduced me to my now fiance Maggie; I met her and we have been dating for 8 months now and if it wasn't for RENT as my start into Broadway, I probably never would have met her.

By Tori (no pen name)


	34. BroadwayJunkie

(happy smile) Nice and long. I am listening to Sweeney Todd right now...wonderfully creepy and Sondheimy. Angela Lansbury makes me cheery, even while she's baking people into pies.

* * *

Hmm, how to start?

Febuary of 2006, my theatre group was doing Once Upon a Mattress. Our "tradition" after every Thursday night rehearsal was to go to McDonald's. I rode with Laura and Genni, who were playing High School Musical and then started talking about this one musical called RENT. Well I think it was a musical, but in my naiive 12 year old mind I didn't care about paying the rent. Psh, who cares about RENT? Laura continued to say, "Don't watch it unless you're mature about things. It's not a good movie for kids." Lightbulb goes off! RENT is a bad, bad, bad, bad musical and I shouldn't watch it. Okay, got it.

On a girl's xanga, (her name was Stephanie) she had a music video of Seasons of Love, I remember watching a girl at the beginning who looked like a fish, a bald black dude, some lady, a big black guy, a rocker looking person, an African American lady who was pretty, a guy who looked gay and then Anthony Rapp. (He was the only person I knew) They sang something about 525,600 minutes and I turned it off and went to another person's site.

Me and a few of the girls from our theatre group had a slumber party. Well, we decided to make t-shirts with our nicknames on the back, so we had to stop to get t-shirts for the forgetful ones. (I was not one of them.) My friend, Kara, wanted to get a CD called RENT. Wait a minute! I remember this...Laura talked about it and then her ringtone was "Out Tonight". Being the spazz I am, I didn't give a care about it. I was too busy making my t-shirt and laughing with my friends.

January 2007 was when RENT appeared again in my life. My friends, Kara (Yes, the same Kara from above) and my best friend, Brooklyn, were talking about RENT. Again I remember, "Don't watch unless you're mature about things. Its not a good movie for kids." I was almost fourteen and I didn't think about it, I knew RENT was bad and to never ever watch it. Then Brooklyn asked Kara what her favorite song was, Kara replied, "The lesbian song." I sat there blankly, listening as Brooklyn sang a little bit of it. Eh, it sounded okay. We went back to our own little partying thing.

A few weeks later my dad played a preview for RENT; it was Seasons of Love. He asked me if I heard of it and I said, "Yes, but it's a bad movie." He got it for me. Why? I don't know, but I'll love him forever for that.

During the months I became obsessed with Newsies. Being the obsessed person I am (when I get an obsession, I go full throttle and nothing can stop me), I looked at each person's IMDB profile. I saw that Aaron Lohr (Mush in Newsies) was in RENT, some guy named Steve. Then Kevin Stea (Swifty) was a Bohemian. I shrugged and continued on with my obsession of Newsies. I then found out that Idina Menzel, (My HERO) was in RENT, she was Maureen. Well I'm a huge fan of Wicked so I thought, "Hmm...but I've heard its bad." I looked it up on Wikipedia (just ruining the movie for me, but thats how I am. I hate suprises when I know they're coming). And then of course Aaron and Kevin being in it and being Newsies I thought, "If I'm such a devoted fan then I should see it."

In the back of my mind I kept remembering that we had the movie RENT. I wasn't ready so I kept searching and checking it out. I learned that Aaron's song was Will I? So I played it on YouTube, seeing him sing it...and then everybody joining in and then the "greaser wanna be" is what I named Roger (sadly). Because of his leather jacket. I had no idea who was who, except that Idina was Maureen, Anthony was Mark, Aaron was Steve, some dude from Gilmore Girls was Gordon and Kevin was a Bohemian. I watched Life Support and then Without You on YouTube until I decided I was ready for the movie.

I went upstairs and it's 11 at night on a Wednesday night. Since we have a lot of movies, I had to search; finally at 11:15 I found RENT. I put it in the DVD player, put the headphones in (my family has a stereo system in which you can turn the surround sound off and then put headphones on. So I wouldn't wake up my family), and I sat down with food and a blanket.

Seasons of Love came on and it was magic. I remember looking at the line I saw on Stephanie's xanga, with the lady who looked like a fish, the bald guy, Idina (who was the lady), the big black guy, the rocker dude, the pretty African American, the gay guy and then Anthony.

Rent had me thrilled (THEY THREW FIRE OUT THE WINDOW!) and I found myself falling in love with Roger. He was...he was Roger. Just breathtaking, amazing voice, great hair and he was amazing.

The rest of the songs I loved; I loved watching the life of these eight people in front of my eyes. My heart broke at One Song Glory and Will I, I laughed at Light My Candle and Today 4 U. (During Today 4 U my mom came upstairs and I paused the movie when Angel is on the couch singing "Like Thelma and Louise did..." and my mom was like, "What are you watching?" I gladly replied. "RENT!" She just stared at me and said goodnight.) Anyways, during Out Tonight I wanted to dance along with her in the streets (even pop in Roger's window and kiss him). Another Day made me so sad, Roger was so lost. Poor Roger. Santa Fe and I'll Cover You...hmm, I didn't care for them very much as I wasn't a fan of Collins when I first saw it (Now I am and I love both songs). I just stared with my mouth open during Over the Moon. La Vie Boheme was a favorite, I loved it when Mimi and Angel sang together. During I Should Tell You I was "aww"ing; La Vie Boheme B made me want to jump up and dance along. Seasons of Love B I didn't exactly get but went along with it. Take Me or Leave Me (the "lesbian" song)...I absolutely adored Idina's and Tracie's voices! I teared up during Without You, I cried during I'll Cover You (Reprise) and sniffled-sobbed my way through Goodbye Love. What You Own...wow, I can't even describe what I felt during What You Own. I watched sadly as Mimi almost died during Finale A and Your Eyes. I knew she was going to come back to life, I watched during Finale B and turned it off knowing that there is 'No Day but Today.'

That day/early morning was August 15th (yeah I remember the date. How sad is that?). I emailed Brooklyn telling her I watched RENT. I immediently began to learn and memorize the lyrics. I bought the CD and listened to it on the way to get Brooklyn so she could spend the night Thursday.

However...a lot of my friends are very closed minded. They do not like RENT because they think it is only about gay people and AIDS. They scolded me for liking it and they made fun of me for dressing up as Roger for Halloween.

"What are you going to be for Halloween, Anna?"

"Roger from RENT."

"Oh. Who's he?"

"The ex-junkie, musician hottie."

"Is he gay?"

"No."

"Then you're defeating the point if you dress up like him."

My thoughts: "How dare you. HOW DARE YOU tell me what I should and shouldn't be

for Halloween."

However, I have my Brooklyn who loves RENT and Roger (not as much as me.) And then I have made my brother a RENThead, another one of my friends a RENThead. And my parents like the music.

So this turned out much much much longer than I thought it'd be. But hey, I'm a talker.

By Anna aka BroadwayJunkie


	35. Gerry the Roger Doll

Sometime in February 2007, my life took a turn in the road that has changed my life for the better. This change has made me into a more complete and understanding person. This turn in the road was RENT.

My journey with RENT started in February 2007; I don't know the exact date. The day must have been a Saturday or Sunday, because I remember sitting a home, bored. The phone rang, and it was my friend Saba. She wanted me to come over to her house to watch _The Day After Tomorrow_. So I did. We watched the mentioned movie and there was still time to watch something else. So we put on RENT. We watched and I fell in love with everything about the movie. The next week I found the movie soundtrack and put it onto my iPod, so I could listen anytime I felt like it.

For about a month I obsessed about RENT, listening to the soundtrack any chance I got. For my birthday, I got the DVD. Then I found out wonderful news. My two friends, Becky and Min (who is on here as selanfene) also like RENT a lot. They got my obsession up to a new level, and I think I made their obsessions climb too. In our US class, we would ramble on about how adorable Anthony is; I really hadn't noticed until I started talking to them more. Because of RENT, I became much closer with these two people.

Sometime between April and May, my mother had something to show me in the newspaper; I had no idea what it could possibly be. As it turned out, the RENT tour was coming Madison WI (which I live very close to) on November 30th and December 1st. Tickets didn't go on sale until August, so there was plenty of time to figure out what would become of this. At school I asked my friends Min and Becky if they were interested in going, of course they were. In August my mother and I went to the place it's being performed at and bought tickets, they are quite good, in the front row of the mezzanine.

Over the summer I became more and more obsessed with RENT. I got the OBC recording from the library and got to know the songs that aren't in the movie. I started going on RENTwebsites like this one. I also purchased Anthony Rapp's book, and read it all without stopping.

Some people say that you cannot call yourself a RENThead until you have seen it on Broadway or the Tour. I say that is bull. Although I have not seen it yet, I fully appreciate the beauty of RENT, and am just as much a fan as someone who has seen it. But on December 1st , I can call myself an "official" RENThead.

By Gerry the Roger Doll


	36. CheshireMax

Hey. Updating early, before school. I have some wicked (meant in all ways) drama class soon, so I must leave in a bit. But first, my rant...

WHY THE HELL IS EVERYONE PUTTING UP CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS?! IT'S FREAKIN' NOVEMBER! LAST I CHECKED, CHRISTMAS WAS IN DECEMBER! GAAAH!

Whoo...sorry.

* * *

Before I even knew what RENT actually was, I was listening to my friends singing the songs from it.

I knew Seasons Of Love and that's it.

I didn't know the name of the musical or the story. Just that song.

Then here on this website I read an Outsiders story that one of the characters was performing the show RENT. That made me curious as to what that was.

That was in the middle of eighth grade.

Then the summer before I went into high school I had my first real encounter with RENT.

I went over to my friend's house, she's a RENT nut. We watched the movie and I fell in love with it, but my friends had seen it so many times that they forced me to play truth or dare during the movie, so I couldn't pay that much attention to it.

So I rented it.

Funny, I rented RENT.

Anyway, when I got it I immediately went and watched it. I cried so hard during Angel's death scene it was like my own friend was dying.

I loved it so much I watched it again right after it was over.

I then forced my mother to watch it with me.

I then watched all the special features.

And I found out how Jonathan Larson, the totally awesome creator of RENT died.

So I now thank dear Mr. Larson every time I watch RENT or hear the music. I want to buy the soundtrack, you know the two disk one, but I don't have enough money so I just bought the selections from RENT one. Although I want the actual one for Christmas.

RENT has had a valuable impact on my life and I know why people worship it, heck I worship it too!

RENT FOREVER!

By Marie aka CheshireMax


	37. AquaFlameElementalist

Here, again. Love this one, love all you guys.

* * *

The first time I saw Rent, I was seven.

I'm dead serious. I was seven or eight when my mom took me to see Rent on Broadway. A friend of hers offered to watch it with her and she had three tickets. And I recall wanting to get out of the house.

And on this viewing,I either fell asleep or blanked out, because I only recall some parts (Rent, La Vie Boheme, I should Tell You, and the Finale, for example). Pathetic, I know. And my mom and I went out not liking it.

However, about seven years later, I came across Rent again while I was channel surfing. Even though I tuned into the end credits, I ended up curious because of the music. I saw it again a couple of days later (from the near-beginning this time), and it ended up on my list of things I loved. My favorite parts were "La Vie Boheme", "I'll Cover You", "I Should Tell You", and "Seasons of Love".

While I was watching it one time, my brother went into the room. He has autism, and that makes it even harder for him to adjust to high school.

"What're you watching?" he asked.

"Rent. Mom and I saw it a while back," I explained.

"Oh," he said, and I realized something: AIDS is almost like autism. Autism's not deadly, but it's a life-changing experience when someone you know is diagnosed with either.

I'm not good at explaining things, so I'll be brief: Rent changed my life. It really did. If I hadn't heard the chords of "Will I" and "Seasons of Love", I would still be hiding from the things that make people cringe, like homosexuality.

I would still be teasing my brother (I do tease him, but I'm a lot nicer to him now.) I would be more like the ignorant pricks who take life for granted and laugh when people admit their innermost desires.

Well, I wouldn't go that far, but because of Rent, I'm more accepting than I have ever been before. And I'm willing to make every day worthwhile. No Day but Today, right?

All in all, Rent has a special place in my heart. Always have, always will.

By MJB aka AquaFlameElementalist


	38. GirlInTheMirror121

Hey, everyone. Long time since this was updated, and I'm glad to do it. Well, I now have RENT tix for February vacation, at least. I should be bouncing off the walls with joy, but...I'm so scared of the emotional upheaval I know I'll have. It already hurts just to think about it...GAH! HAPPY THOUGHTS, HAPPY THOUGHTS, OBC OPENING NIGHT, MIMI PANTS! FRICKIN MIMI PANTS!

The Mimi pants actually do make me feel better. They're so wonderfully stretchy and bluuuue...and they sparkle.

They really do.

* * *

_My…first…time, hard to explain. Rush of blood, oh, and a little bit of pain, on a cloudy day, it's more common than you think…_

Vanessa Carlton, White Houses

Indeed, Vanessa. Sadly, it was a cloudy day the day I saw RENT live. But after I viewed Jon Larson's creation, the day brightened.

I had seen the movie version of RENT the first time in March 2006. I had ordered the movie from Netflix, curious to see what it was about. I wasn't sure I'd like it, but I put it in anyway. I watched as the story unfolded, captivated. The lyrics, the plot, the characters, all so inspiring and brilliant. I cried when Angel died, WTF'd Maureen's protest, was surprised by the ending, and fell in love. It quickly became a favorite of mine. I eventually bought the DVD, watching it over and over, waiting for the day I'd see it live. Then, the news came: I was seeing RENT on January 19, 2008. I couldn't wait! I read RENT fanfiction stories obsessively, even writing two of my own. (check them out, LOL!) Finally, the day came.

My mom and I went to the Providence PAC for the 2:00 Saturday matinee. I bought the fitted tee, the program, and the poster. My mom saw the cow, which prompted her to ask me, "What does the cow have to do with any of this?" I just replied with a "you'll see…" Well, I feel in love with the stage quickly. Our seats were decent, halfway back, orchestra right center. I will now go into a detailed view, song by song.

Tune Up #1: I loved Mark's interaction with Roger during this one.

Voice Mail #1: The actress was a little bit too loud, but I did enjoy her "love mooooooom!"

Tune Up #2: God, that line never gets old! "What's his name?" "Joanne." I love that part so much, lmao.

Rent: Oh my God, the energy in this song! Everyone was running around the stage like crazy. I loved all the different parts going on at once. (I found myself watching Joanne most of the time) Very explosive!

You Okay, Honey: Angel is ah-dorable. I loved when he pointed at Collins and went "and I do _not _take no!"

Tune Up #3: Not much to say here, except that I loved Roger's emotion, especially when he defeated-ly threw his guitar on the table.

One Song Glory: Love, love, love it. So emotional, and the movement is gorgeous.

Light My Candle: I was like "ok…why do they have a dark Mimi? And why does she have a faux hawk?" Still, it was cute. I enjoyed when Roger sang "I didn't recognize you without the handcuffs" and mimicked Mimi's handcuff dance!

Voice Mail #2: This was okay. I was watching Maureen's silhouette on the balcony more than Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson, to be honest.

Today 4 U: I loved Angel's costume! And when she jumped off the table and went "Whee!"? Adorable!

You'll See: Not much to say about that. I do like "That gut could use some Prozac/or heavy drugs/or group hugs!" and "Boys like me/I like boys!"

Tango: Maureen: BIG laughs! I loved Mark the whole time! Especially when he said "With…Nanette Himmelfarb, the rabbi's daughter, at the Scarsdale Jewish Community Center". And then when Joanne dropped him!

Life Support: Beautiful, absolutely beautiful.

Out Tonight: Goodness, that girl can move! And get into some interesting positions, too. I got shivers in my legs when she said "Where all the scars from the NEVERS and MAYBES…DIIIIIIIIE!"

Another Day: One of my favorite songs, and wonderfully done.

Will I: I nearly cried! I loved at the end when Roger had the jacket in his hands, and kept looking from it to the door, like he was seriously contemplating on whether or not to leave.

On The Street: It was okay…

Santa Fe: Not really how I imagined it done, but Collins did a nice job with it.

I'll Cover You: Angel/Collins! It was so undeniably cute.

We're Okay: I actually really liked this song! Why, oh why, did they cut it from the movie?!

Christmas Bells: Love. I was watching Roger/Mark/Mimi the whole time, really. Angel is so cute when she sings "Kiss me, it's beginning to snow!" There's so much going on that it's impossible to see the whole picture one time! When Maureen came out I was like, wow. She had short hair, so I was a little off-put, but then came…

Over the Moon: Oh. My. God. WOW!! Not how I pictured it at all! It got big laughs, big laughs. I love how she gets the whole audience to "moo with me!!" Mom leaned over and said "Now I get the cow…" (And yes, I did moo with Maureen!)

La Vie Boheme: Not as high energy as Rent, but still WOW factor! I laughed during the whole thing.

I Should Tell You: Cute and sweet. Perfect Mimi/Roger moment!

La Vie Boheme B: Wow. Again. I didn't expect that siren to go off, though! VIVA la vie boheme!

Seasons of Love: The soloists were simply amazing. Such a beautiful song!

Happy New Year: Chips, anyone?

Voice Mail #3: I loved Mark's mom, but Alexi annoyed the hell outta me. Is she supposed to singsong annunciate everything? Seriously, she was like, "MARK, Alexi DARLING from BUZZLINE….KERCHING, KERCHING! Etc)

Happy New Year B: I did NOT expect any of that to happen (except breaking in) I loved the Angel/Benny thing where he was like "how did you know she fell?" and Collins broke in with " Champagne?"

Take Me or Leave Me: Those shivers came back again! Love, love, love it.

Seasons of Love B: Love it, again. So pretty!

Without You: On the verge of tears. It was absolutely beautiful, of course.

Voice Mail #4: Ok, now Alexi is REALLY bugging me! I did enjoy the "Marky, sell us your souuuuuuul!" bit, though!

Contact: I loved it when Angel rose up and sang "Take me, take me, etc"

I'll Cover You (reprise): So sad, and so pretty. I noticed that they made the same line as in Seasons of Love, but with Angel's space missing.

Halloween: Easily my new favorite song.

Goodbye, Love: I almost cry whenever I hear this song! I loved Mark and Roger's interaction, again, and how Mimi broke down for that final "goodbye love, hello disease!"

What You Own: Again, love the harmony between Mark and Roger. Double loved the beginning when Mark is acting out the Buzzline thing. The look on his face was so funny, and then he broke down with the "Oh my God, what am I doing?"

Voice Mail #5: Hard to understand, I will admit.

Finale: Cute, and then BAM! Mimi!

Your Eyes: I hate that song. Poor Mimi, that's all I can say.

Finale B: Much better. Loved it when Angel came out at the end! The crowd cheered when that happened.

So that was my first time. I loved every single minute of it. I have the "Best of RENT" album, and will be purchasing the whole soundtrack as soon as I can! This show now ties with WICKED for favorite musical of all time.

By GirlInTheMirror121


	39. Merryweathers

Lovely, this one is. They all are, but I identify a lot with this one (fetal-position-depression is no stranger to me, although I was more about ordring the world to leave me alone and then crying because they decided to listen to me). And we all love that moment when Angel comes out and half the people in the audience go, "YAY ANGEL WE LOVE YOU SO!!!" and the other half go, "Wait...is that a man or woman? WHO THE HELL IS THAT????"

(sigh) Good times. Good times.

* * *

My RENT experience, I feel, comes in twofold- the first time I saw the movie, and the first time I saw the Play- which was within a month of each other. So, there we go. 

Now, a little background on me: two summers ago, I had just come out of ninth grade. I am not the healthiest of people, sadly- in and out of hospitals when I was younger; most recently, I was comming off a serious lung problem which I'm not even going to TRY and spell, which I had since I was born, and had had a surgery on two years before being in High School. I was finishing up medication, if you must know. The only problem, and the things my doctors forgot to tell me or my mom, was that one of my medications was something that tended to play havoc with your emotions. While I had been taking it, I had calmed down as a kid significantly, but mom just figured I was growing more mature (HA!) The minute I got off of them; severe depression. I don't mean Roger 'Emo-boy' depression; like, take me to a phyciatrist because I'm laying in the fetal position on the couch and won't let my parents leave the house because they could fall off a bridge or get hit by a bus depression. Well, anyways- parents were freaking, I was freaking; generally not a good start of summer, people. I wouldn't even write, and that's definitely not me. Now, the thing is; I read, and I read a lot.

So...weirdest thing of all- even before the commercials to the movie caught my attention; I learned about RENT in a book.

It was a series called Everworld, and it's really complicated, so I shall just jump right into the RENT part- the lead girl in the story (April, I'm just  
realising Ironically) was in the drama club at her school- who were doing RENT. It talked about her playing Mimi, and AIDS-positive sex-fend dancer. Now, at the time; that did not seem too appealing. Sad to admit it, but I was a happy-fun-fun musical gal before RENT: You know, Peter Pan, My Fair Lady, Disney- those things (To all you Wicked fans: pretty much personified Galinda in this 'all is happy and pretty and pink' way before that summer of RENT). I didn't care if they were going to sing- Didn't want to go there. But, again, summer changes things. And as my mom just knew I like musicals, one day, to try and get me out of a funk, she rented me RENT (ha ha!) Didn't pick it up the first time...she had to get it out a second, before one day, in my arms encircling my kneesness, she just put it on, and I didn't turn it off.

I'd like to say I fell in love right then and there with all the characters...but I kinda flipped over and burried my face in the couch...so my first impression was more of muted dialogue and song, rather than any sort of followable storyline.

But the music was pretty. And some of them uplifting-Particularly loved Today for U.

And I got a little bit better...left the house...went to the library for the sole purpose of borrowing the CD.

It had begun.

Well, I didn't see the movie again until that September- rather than that though, my family decided to help me more out of the land of funkiness, my Grandparents would take me to visit relatives in New York. Now, the only place I'd been before was Florida, and I was five. I'm a Canadian girl who (was..and to a degree still is) afraid of Toronto- So I wasn't exactly keen to do. But I had one thing to help me along- the Rent CD, and my walkman; so I drove down in our motorhome, listening to RENT- until the horrible, horrible day we were just reaching New Jersey, and grandpa hit a bump. My precious walkman, blaring out Today for U into my ears, took a leap of faith (had to...I'm sorry!) off the table beside me and smashed- the saddest thing I've ever seen; all smashed pieces of RENTy- goodness (which later cost me 28.00 to replace...grrr.)

I was on my own.

Four days- four days without my music- any music, let alone RENT. Was NOT too happy about that. Did not enjoy my trip AT ALL. Until the night the Grandparents sat me down, and talked about taking me to a Musical; my choice.

"Okay...there's Chicago?"

"Seen it."

"There's Sweeny Tood?"

"You really want to try that one right now?"

"The Drowsey Chapherone?"

"Nah."

"Well...the only one's left are Tarzan, Beauty and the Beast, and something called RENT."

"Hmm..?" That right there, got my attention.

"It's a rock opera."

I though about it...but hell, there was nothing better on- why not? I liked the music; why not give it a go. So next day- my grandfather and I went and stood outside the theater- clutching Starbucks for dear life and waitin for the Nederlander to open its doors on its magical, accompanied version of life in the East Village.

Front row seats... Not bad, no?

Well...I was perked from the start, drawning in by Marky's commentary, as I would so many times after seeing it. I listened, I loved, I felt kindered spirit with Roger, Shied away from Mimi at that time, and resisted the urge jump on stage and give Collins a really, really big hug after he got mugged. I was a little confused- had no bloody clue who the guy was picking him up off the ground; but, eh...it was nice of him.

Then- It came...the recognizable chords to my all time favorite song. I was going to see the singer behind the motto...and it was...

"Is that a...man?"

Grandpa pretty much summed it up...that was my first thought too. I though that, at least...it was a really, really deep-voiced girl. But...nope. It was our darling Angel.

Whom I promptly clapped for.

Insanely.

People gave me looks.

I was hooked- I didn't have a chance.Thank you, Johnathan Larson, a thousandfold! Quickly, another person would surpass Roger as my Second Favorite; the Diva Maureen who would and probably always will be in constant battle in my mind for top spot with Angel. It was something about the mooing- most likely, because our unoffical school mascot is a cow, and she was just so- confident. I wish I could remember the actors I saw- but, alas, the Playbill is stuck somewhere in the overflowing box of crap that is my theater memorabelia (Have yet to get the time and frame it). All you need to know is, I laughed (mostly at my Grandpa...who was horrified that there were lesbians and drag queens and singing homeless people...oh my!), I cried (indefinately...numerous times...still do...) I spent Fifty bucks American for a T-shirt and a dogtag. Mom now wishes she never started anything to do with RENT in the first place.

And I vowed to live: No Day But Today. La Vie Boheme.

That- and I was gonna get me one of those rubber/plastic catsuits.

By Katie aka Merryweathers


	40. LiveLoveRENT

Uuuurgh. I hate rehearsal...I hate school...I hate my parents right now...I'm not in a very good mood, as you might be able to discern. However, this did perk me up a bit.

By the way...did I mention that I hate school? CREEPY LIT TEACHERS AND FRENCH SUCKS AND PHYSICS IS REALLY ANNOYING BECAUSE I HATE SCIENCE!!!!!

(ahem) anyway.

* * *

March 12, 2007

Mondays. I hated Mondays. And this Monday in particular. My entire eighth grade class had just returned from our trip to Washington DC and coming back to school afterwards was no fun. I shuffled to my first period chorus class and retrieved my music folder once I had gotten into the room. I sat down and our chorus teacher began class. We warmed up and then she told us to open our folders and take out our new music. Everyone was ecstatic about the new song we were going to be singing. "Seasons of Love" it said on the front cover. I could hear all around the room "Oh! This is from RENT!" RENT. I'd heard of it. I remember the movie that had come out a year and a half before. It sounded  
interesting. We began practicing it and I was immediately in love. The music was beautiful and I just HAD to hear more of it.

At lunch the same day, I asked many of my friends if they had heard of the movie. Some had and said it was great. It was official. I had to watch this movie. I went home that day and looked up RENT. The characters, the story, the music. I listened to a couple of songs and it sounded awesome. That Friday, I finally was able to get to the movie store and I picked up the movie. Needless to say, I was very excited to get it into my DVD player. The movie began. I already knew Seasons and I ended up singing along with it. As the movie progressed, I became more and more amazed. It was just beautiful and I especially loved the character Mimi. She was so gorgeous and fierce. By the end of the movie, I was in tears. It was just...wow. I decided afterward to watch the documentary about it. The story of the creator of this beautiful masterpiece had me in tears as well. My love for RENT was official after seeing that. I became obsessed. I'd come home from school and watch the movie and listen to the soundtrack on my iPod 24/7. I had never experienced anything like RENT before and it was now my life. And what a wonderful life it was.

Six months later, I found myself sitting in the Nederlander, watching this story LIVE and with Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp no less. It was just...more than what I could ever hope for. RENT had completely and totally changed my life. I was a much more compassionate person. I loved my family and my friends more. Nothing could make me stop loving this wonderful show. It's a beautiful thing. I thank RENT AND Jonathan Larson for everything. RENT will always be with me.

By

LiveLoveRENT 


	41. srgirl6889

Sorry this hasn't gone up sooner, but we just started the second term at my school and I have four new classes to get used to and then I switched to Photo 1 and it's a lot of work and I HATE WORLD LIT and yeah.

I'm pretty exhausted, but this is a wonderful one, so read this even if you're as tired as I am.

* * *

I consider my first encounter with RENT to have lasted two years.

I know that that seems weird. But that's how I feel about it.

In 2005, when I was in eighth grade, we sang Seasons of Love in our spring concert for choir. My teacher explained a little bit of it to us, urging us to watch it. But I grew up in a pretty conservative town just outside of Detroit. I was taught—either by flat out being told or just assumptions from the way people acted—that being gay was bad (my parents DID NOT teach me that—I just kinda picked it up over the years. I was 14, give me a break); that having AIDs means you did something wrong and that because of that, you were an evil person; that people who didn't have as much money as the people in our town (full of upper middle class lawyers and such 'yuppie scum') weren't living up to their potential and were also evil. I've always been more naïve about the world than most people I know, so based on the teacher's descriptions, I decided not to watch it.

I know what you're thinking. How could someone like me possibly even decide to watch RENT, let alone fall in love with it?

In June 2006, coming off my freshman year of high school, I had a slight case of depression due to anxiety disorders that had flared up over the course of the past year. One night, my parents went out to dinner, and when they did this, I usually watched a movie on Comcast On Demand with my younger siblings. While we were flipping through the list of Starz movies, I came across RENT. My brother and sister ended up deciding to watch something else, but I went upstairs to the other TV with digital cable and began to watch RENT.

The first time I watched it, I didn't really get it.

Please don't kill me. My story gets better.

So I didn't get it. But for some reason, I was drawn to it.

I watched it a few more times. I began to understand it more. But it still wasn't giving me that feeling it gives most RENTheads.

Sophomore year started, and to be perfectly honest, I kinda forgot about it. I had a boyfriend, I had friendship problems to worry about. I at least wasn't depressed anymore, but things started to change in my life and I simply pushed RENT to the back of my mind.

There was this girl, Devin, that I had kinda known about before, but didn't really talk to. We were tied together by another girl though, and started to become friends. At first we found other things to talk about, but somehow we got around to RENT. I watched it again, and this time, I actually had the same moments many of you describe having—it was the first movie I ever cried over. Somehow, I found myself relating to it. I especially found it easy to relate to both Mark and Joanne. Needless to say, I was quite surprised.

RENT began to work into my life. Devin and I began to write this movie thing, in which are friends were mixed with the characters in RENT. There's one scene in which all of our friends are singing La Vie Boheme in the school cafeteria—my friend Taylor IS Mark (he got a Marky Scarfy for Christmas—I made it myself) and I cannot watch La Vie Boheme without seeing him dancing on our cafeteria tables (I really want it to happen someday!).

I went to visit my grandparents and aunt that February. I borrowed my aunt's copy of the OBC recording. I put it on my iPod and listed to it constantly.

Coming home from that trip, I heard an advertisement on the radio. It was the one that has the characters saying all the phrases beginning with "RENT is…" The tour was coming to Detroit in two weeks. I told my mom I wanted to go, and she gave her classic "I'll think about it" response.

Two weeks later, on Sunday, March 11, 2007, RENT was about to close in Detroit. The last show for the tour was at seven that night. I was talking to Devin at about one that afternoon. "I'm so excited, my family is going to RENT tonight!" she said.

"Really? I wish I could go," I told her. Then, thinking about it more, I said, "If I can get a ticket, can your parents drive me?"

She went to check with her mom, and when she came back, told me her parents were fine with it if mine were. I talked to MY mom, telling her I was willing to buy my own ticket and that "I really really really really really" wanted to go. She gave in, buying the ticket as my birthday present as my birthday was later that month.

At seven that night, I was sitting in the theater, waiting for the show to start. As soon as the first cords from Roger's guitar resonated through the room, I knew that this was it. I knew I was falling in love.

For me, sitting in the darkened theater, listening to the music, watching the play, was so much more powerful than sitting on my couch. I pretty much cried through the whole thing, whether it was a sad or happy part—it didn't matter. I was surrounded with the messages of RENT, and I came to realize, sitting there, reflecting on my own life, how those messages are true for everyone. At the age of 15, I knew I had to find a different way to live. More than anything, the words 'no day but today' spoke to me. The message they carried seemed to especially apply to my life. I realized I took the future for granted, and looked at the past too long and too hard. RENT, essentially, saved me from myself.

I've made some of my other friends watch the movie as well, and had many fights with them about the meaning of it. It can be hard to convince someone that we could learn from RENT, because our lives are completely different.

This past summer, RENT once again carried me through. I went to a precollege program. If RENT didn't exist in my mind, if I didn't have the music on my iPod or a copy of the movie to remind me of the messages it carries, I may not have learned as much.

RENT has changed my life. As a 14 year old choir student, I was prejudiced, and could have never understood the deeper meaning behind it. As a 15 year old girl between the first and second years of high school, I just simply couldn't grasp the message, but was drawn to the musical. As a high school sophomore, I found what I had been looking for. As a precollege student, RENT helped me to learn more about who I was as a person. And now, at 16, due to a musical I thought I would never watch, I understand more than I ever thought I would. My perceptions have completely changed—I don't think I will ever see homosexuals the way I used to again.

The day it was announced that RENT was closing, I found Devin's CD of movie selections in my CD player, which I hadn't opened in months. Devin and I have been fighting since August, but finding that CD reminded both of us of why we were friends (I'm not saying it fixed everything—things are still weird between us).

Thank you, Jonathan Larson, for what you brought to my life.

By: Sara (aka srgirl6889—I've never written a story, but I've read so many)


	42. TBA 2

Hurr. Panda tired. Panda want to go take nap. Panda depressed about RENT. Panda in denial.

Panda speaking like William Shatner...

* * *

OK so, my friend went to see the movie. When I asked him what the movie was about, he said a girl left her boyfriend for a women and everybody had AIDS. Based on those facts I did not see the movie. One boring summer day months later, I had nothing to do so I decided to watch a movie on Demand and saw that RENT was one of my options. I thought about it for a second and decided that if there was a girl cheating on her boyfriend it just might do. When Seasons of Love started, my cousin ran in the room yelling about how she has sung that song in school.

I watched the movie 5 time that weekend. Months I got on YouTube and watched the videos of the 10th anniversry of RENT. And now I can't go a day without listening to at least one of the songs from the movie and the OBC recording. I even write RENT lyrics in a notebook during class.

By Nadya (penname-less)


	43. TBA 3

Greetings, people. I am sick and have no voice, so I am eating Pop Tarts and posting entries. This is a great one (albeit sadly without a penname) and one that I identify very closely with. Coming out is hard, and although my of my friends were cool with it (actually, I have a lot of out friends...come to think of it, straight people are a minority in my circle) I did lose several friends over it. It's gotten much better for out kids, especially teenagers and high schoolers, in the last few years...but there's a lot of work to do. Being a lesbian doesn't define me, it's a part of me just as much as being 5"7 or Jewish or liking Pop Tarts is (they are yummy). And for people like you (the author of this wonderful account), I can only say that I'm so sorry for what you went through, and I hope that you can live among accepting people who love you regardless of your sexuality...and I'm very impressed at your ability to be so open and proud. You deserve a cookie. A cookie AND a Pop Tart.

By the way, the quote at the end might have been the email signature...but it was so good that I had to include it. :)

* * *

A long time ago in the middle of nowhere (where I still am, sadly), I was friends with very different people than those I am friends and hang out with now. I was also a very different person, probably because of the afore mentioned different friends I had and have now. Anyways.. You see, it all started when I came out to my friends, all of whom were the same sex as me (girlies) and all incredibly straight and... let's say promiscuous. It seemed to go down well, but within days many of these girls picked fights and started arguments with me over the slightest thing and I was soon made to feel unwelcome by most of them. Holding back my tears (as most of this took place in and during school) I left their "hangout" and held my head high, searching for an empty room where I could just sit for a while. 

I eventually found a small, undecorated classroom with no one inside and let myself cry just a little at the thought that I'd never have friends again because of my sexuality. It wasn't long before a group of people came into my secluded cocoon - this was where they hung out in their free time and had only left it vacant when they went to get food from the cafeteria. As I apologised and got up to leave, one of them, probably the sweetest girl in the world, comforted me. She introduced me to the rest of the group, having remembered my name from when we once sat together during a French lesson. I'm ashamed to say I couldn't remember hers.

It didn't take long, but I was soon enfolded into this group of friends, each one of them weirder than the last - we accepted each other, but I did not tell them I was gay. I was far too afraid to. After a few weeks, when they lent a DVD to each other and they all thought it was incredible, I was invited to borrow this DVD that I'd heard them talking about. It had a colourful case and I was told it was a musical and that I'd like it. I trusted that I would.

From the moment I heard that first piano chord, I was entranced. I didn't expect such a thing: characters had AIDs, they were poor, half of them were gay! And none of it really bothered them. They were proud of who they were and I cried with sheer happiness as I watched.

As I returned to school with the DVD, I told them the truth and I had never been so proud of it. In fact, it wasn't long before most of my school found out through gossip and the fact that when people asked I said "yeah, I am" without hesitation or fear. RENT and my friends gave me the confidence to be who I am - whoever the hell that is.

As for the group of girls I left, they thought that it reflected badly on them that someone who was once one of them was gay - god forbid!

If life gives you lemons, quit whining and eat your damn lemons.

By Ange (sorry if that's not your name, it's the best I could do)


	44. Zarrian

1) I am incredibly tired and the week is not yet over...plus I spent most of last night waltzing without a partner at the Rehearsal From Hell, which was not the best experience ever.

2) I was hurting inside when I read the ending of this one. (SPOILERS) My parents and my friends' parents are all great about RENT, they love it too. But actually forbidden to see it because of your parents...that's horrible.I can't imagine it. And I am so sorry for this author, and I wish her mounds of luck with seeing RENT again as soon as possible.

* * *

"Aw man, I hate this stupid music! Just turn that shit off--it's hurting my head." My friend Angelfire (the girl who's obsessive about her name not being on the internet although it's fairly common) said. We were at the cast party for a play that we just finished, and the DJs (a guy named Andres in our  
Drama group, and a girl named Kendra who goes to 'my' church) only had two types of music: The soundtrack for Wicked, the soundtrack for some other musical, (that sounded like crap to me), and Justin Timberlake's 'Future Sex Sounds' album. 

Well, personally, I hate Mr. Timberlake, and his sex sounds, so I was hiding with Angel in the bathroom, until Wicked came back on. I could at least handle that. (NOTE: I was not obsessed with it as I am now- so that's why I just 'handled it.' Of course, I hadn't heard/seen/known anything about it, but I am not an easy person to reckon with.)

Soon, the sounds of what I now know as 'One Short Day' came on. "You think it's safe?" said Angelfire, who had been playing with her parents' cell phone only moments before.

"I don't know... do you?"

"I don't know, do you?"

"I don't know, do- ah, come on! If we keep this up, by the time we get out there, they'll be playing Justin Timberless and that RENT shit again." I said.

We got out there and BOOM! What do you know?

"HOW DO YOU START A FIRE WHEN THERE'S NOTHIN' TO BURN AND IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING'S STUCK IN YOUR FLUE??"

As a different, (and slightly lighter) voice started up, Angel and I groaned. This, my friend was not my first lovely encounter with RENT though...

The TV blared the loud voice of Ryan Seacrest across the living room. "AMERICAN Idol will be back- after the break!" Next up was my mom and mine's  
favorite contestant. Constantine Maroulis.

"We are BACK!" Once more, the loud voice of Ryan Seacrest filled my ears. "And we're here with Constantine Maroulis!"

It when into Constantine's video diary, and finally, Ryan said, "Now, it's my understanding that you played 'Roger' in the musical 'Rent?'"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I did." He replied. Or, he said something like that.

"Mommy..." I asked. (I was a younger girl back in those days. "What's RENT?"

My Mom did not answer, but my awesome brother did. "Oh- it's this musical about AIDS." (now I'm glad he didn't say 'Gay people and AIDS) "I don't know much about it," He continued, "Except for it has this awesome song called 'Seasons of Love.' It's real nifty."

"Hm... cool. Question- what's AIDS?"

Ah, my good-old brother... always there with the answer! "People get AIDS when they fu-"

"Okay! That's enough questions for tonight!" my mom intervened. "Shiloh, I want you in bed after Bo performs. You've got school tomorrow."

I, being the naughty child I was did not go to bed, but I stayed up for the rest of American Idol, and some of the rest of Star Search too. Even still, Rent and Constantine stayed in my mind for the rest of the night and up until I went to bed- and upon waking, I did not think about RENT for a good long time. Well, until that summer, anyway.

Then came the summer of 2005. I was on my way out the door- I was going to the park with my best friend, Missy. You see, they played movies in the park during the summer, and we were going to go. I was brushing my hair and watching 'Fairly Odd Parents' when she turned the channel to ABC family, and I saw the ad. A person in a santa suit jumping off a table is what I remember the most. It looked violent. Kinda like the movie 'Smokin' Aces' does to me now (Is it just me, or does that movie poster look exactly like Rent's? PANDA NOTE: I thought exactly the same thing when I saw that poster, so YES). And then it said RENT in its big boldness.

It was coming out in select theaters on November 22. And all I thought was... 'Oo! It's close to my birthday!'

Then, two years later came the summer of 2007. I was gash darned tired of Andres and Kendra not letting me in on their conversations, all because I wasn't 'RENTheaded.' They were in High school now, and they didn't talk to me at all, unless it was about Wicked or if they wanted to boss me around. So, one night, I went home- sat my ass down at the computer, and I went to YouTube. First song I ever heard from Rent?

Tango Maureen.

My life has never been the same.

Now, I have one thing different from everyone else's story. And that's my ending with Rent. No, I'm not talking about how it's closing on Broadway in June or anything like that, but I'm talking about the day when my Mom- my mormon mom, watched RENT.

It was 8:00 at night on December 25, 2007. Christmas. My mom decided we were going to finally watch it- whether I was up to it or not. And we did... and on Out Tonight- it was all over for me. My mother declared I would never watch RENT again... and I haven't. I haven't even been able to watch it at Angelfire's house, (who also is a RENThead now, through me) all because I feel so sad when I do.

Maybe someday, I'll be able to. But for now, I'm destitute and RENTless.

By Shiloh aka Zarrian


	45. em91011

* * *

Okiedoke. Here's another...from a right-brainer like myself. Find the right brain...ah, Jonathan, is there anything in my life you HAVEN'T written about? I love you the more. And for the record, I call every single member of the RENT OBC by their FIRST NAMES. I am obsessed and insane and psychotic, so allow me my little pleasures! And this does not mean that if I met them I would address them by their first names (although you can ask Gwen Stewart--I called her Gwen once and immediately fell completely to pieces). Anyway, I'm me. And I spent all day taking pictures of eggs for my Photo assignment. 

And now read this wonderful account.

P.S. For all you Giants fans, I say (as a since-birth Red Sox fan who could care less about football) that maybe you could have let the Pats win...FOR THE SAKES OF THE SANE PEOPLE OVER HERE???

* * *

I want to start by saying that I think in pictures. I'm left-handed, i.e. right-brained, i.e. abstract, musical, and considered by most left-brainers or right-handed people to be insane. So I've always had trouble expressing myself in words, and end up ranting and talking too much or incomprehensively. So I'm sorry about that. However, my writing tends to be more collected and eloquent. And I use big words because I think in pictures, not words, so I use all of the words I can to try to translate my thoughts. 

In my school, there's a lot of turnover, especially between middle school and high school (my school goes from preschool through senior year), so there were thirty new students my freshman year. I remember when I first met Jessica. It was on the first day of ninth grade. She asked me and my friend where the language classrooms were. We mistakenly showed her the middle school ones, not the high school ones. Later, when I realized our mistake, I found her somehow among the 500-or-so students in the high school wing of the building and apologized. She said that it wasn't a problem.

By the time lunch came around, I knew what she looked like and waved her over to my table to sit with me. This was the day that she changed my life. I know, it sounds melodramatic, but whatever. She talked about a bunch of things I'd never heard of but then ended up becoming obsessed with: potter puppet pals, Fanfiction, and, most importantly RENT. I'd only heard of RENT from a poster that was in my middle school drama teacher's classroom and I thought looked stupid, although I had never asked him about it. It was up there with posters for other shows, although I now know that it deserved its own special place in the room.

I soon learned that I had Bio with Jessica, too. She used the whole class to pass notes to me about how amazing RENT was and how I had to see it. I was intrigued, to say the least. But I didn't bother to rent it or anything, because I didn't know it was a movie (she had only told me about the show and Anthony Rapp, with whom she is obsessed). Although I go to New York twice a year, I didn't plan on seeing it because I wasn't a big fan of theater: I'd only seen one play (Curtains) and one musical (Wicked) that I'd liked in all of my fourteen years (I'd also liked Blue Man Group, but I don't think that's in the same category). My grandparents in New York always took me to theater when I went to stay with them so it wasn't like I couldn't have gone. I just didn't want to. I'd heard other musical were great and then hated them.

It wasn't until November or December that I was watching TV and none of the shows that I watched were on, so I decided to look in the movies section and saw Rent playing on Sky Movies. I was about to go to the next page when I made the connection. I wondered if it was what Jessica had been talking about. She might have mentioned a movie at some point after two months of talking about it almost nonstop. Now that I thought about it, she had: She had mentioned renting the movie to show to another friend of hers who hadn't yet seen it, a scheme devised by her and four or five other RENThead friends of mine. I highlighted it with the remote and pressed select.

The first thing I noticed was how dark it was (I would learn later that I had tuned in during You'll See). I wasn't a big fan of dark movies, which were more likely to have dark scenes than happy, light, fluffy movies. As examples, some of my favorite movies before RENT had been High School Musical and Hairspray and Step Up, the darkest thing liked. The second thing was that they were singing. That put me off a little. I loved music, but I had always found it boring when people sung in theater. I thought that acting and singing should be kept separate. The third thing I noticed was that I had missed the first fifteen minutes. That wouldn't seem like much, but, being an actress, I knew that that was the most important part of the movie. You could miss other sections, but if you missed the beginning you wouldn't know what the hell was going on. I didn't understand it until Light My Candle, partly because that's when I realized that they were still introducing new characters and I COULD understand it. I'm just grateful I tuned in in time for One Song Glory – if I hadn't I would've been completely lost.

I won't say that I liked it. I liked parts of it, but it was too complicated to understand at first. I couldn't tell if I liked it or not. Then I got to the end of Santa Fe, when Angel puts her hand on Collins' knee. I know I'm stupid, but until then I had just assumed that she was a manly woman ( Wilson has such a high voice! And remember, I hadn't seen Angel as a man at all because I tuned in too late) and that had short hair or had lost her hair through some AIDS treatment (I knew nothing about AIDS and for all I knew it was possible) and that's why she wore a wig. But somewhere during Santa Fe I realized that it was in fact a man dressed as a woman. I had never been homophobic and I had friends who were gay, but I was – I'm ashamed to say it now – a little weirded out by the man-on-man relationship, especially the kiss at the end of I'll Cover You, and the lesbian stuff between Maurine and Joanne. I had also never seen a drag queen before, even in movies. I was very innocent for fourteen (lol not anymore). This was another reason why I didn't like it but didn't not like it.

Anyway, by the time I got to La Vie Boheme, I realized that it was worth watching again and hit the record button, although it unfortunately only recorded from Over The Moon. I loved La Vie Bohéme and after the movie was over I watched it over and over again on Youtube. I had loved Adam Pascal from the beginning because he's so hot, but that was when I became a fan of Anthony Rapp.

Because Angel had been a little too weird for me, I wasn't very sad when she died and didn't like I'll Cover You anyway (I'm obsessed now), so the funeral scene wasn't very sad for me. Without You was a little worse, but I didn't really feel much. I didn't understand the movie well enough. Besides, heroin was another thing I wasn't really okay with. By the time I got to the finale, I was paying full attention. I loved Adam Pascal, after all, and I liked Rosario Dawson, too. I thought the ending was too long, though – why did they have to repeat the lines over and over again? But I resolved to give it another chance. I didn't dislike it, and I knew how much Jessica loved it and we had a lot in common, so maybe I would like it, too, if I saw it again and could understand it more.

I was upset that it hadn't recorded Light My Candle because it was my favorite scene along with La Vie Bohéme, but I watched it again twice that week. By the time the week was up, I was hooked. I bought the soundtrack (I wanted to buy the movie one but ended up buying the OBC one, something I'm now happy about because it deepens my understanding of it.)

I'd seen the section from Over The Moon to the ending at least five times by the time I got to see the beginning. Our local movie shop had closed, so we could only rent movies through Amazon and I reserved my limited allowance of movies for Smallville, so I didn't rent it. Instead, when we were in South Africa for December vacation, I was flipping through the limited channels (we had three sports channels which I never watched, five movie channels, one cartoon channel which was too young for me and the Discovery Channel which was too boring, so there was never anything on) when I happened to catch Adam Pascal's face and a few notes of Seasons of Love (I had by then memorized the soundtrack). I was alone in the hotel room, my family having gone to play soccer (I hate soccer and was going horseback riding later that day instead), so I had full control of the TV. I watched in wonder as the movie started. I actually started singing along with Rent (the song), although I had never heard the movie version so I messed up a lot. I was trying to figure out if the same people were in it as were singing in my recording (I loved Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal, but didn't know their names in association to the movie, only to the soundtrack). I finally figured out that it was indeed them, except for Mimi and Joanne.

By then I'd told my family all about RENT. My mom came back during Angel's funeral to pick me up and take me to horseback riding. I turned off the TV after Without You.

By the time I returned home mid-January, my obsession was cemented. The first thing I did was rent the movie on Amazon (I still haven't given it back), order Anthony Rapp's book (I'm now rereading it over and over again) and ask for RENT the coffee table book (I've read it cover to cover) from my parents. I read the whole of the RENT movie blog online and looked up everything about all ten principal actors (I'm including both Rosario and Daphne; both Fredi and Tracie).

I got everyone else in my family to watch it, and although my parents liked it (my younger brothers loved the music but didn't understand the movie), they didn't become obsessed like I am.

Anthony's book also changed my life. Before you say anything, I never call stars by their first names. You don't go up to people you don't know and call them by their first names unless they're your peers. And Anthony Rapp is the generation above me, so just by default he isn't my peer. But I feel like I know him personally, so he's the only celebrity I call by first name (In my head; if I just started talking about Anthony without using his last name nobody would know what I was talking about). I was stunned by the amount of affection and love I felt for him after I read his book. It changed my life in so many ways that I couldn't list them all here. I can't tell you enough to read it.

RENT has also kindled in me a love of theater, particularly musical theater. I had always loved to act, but now I loved watching it, too. Anyone who says that RENT is outdated is clearly insane. Yes, New York is different now. But there are still Bohemians. There are still homeless people. There are still people dying from AIDS. There are still gay people and lesbian people. There are still drag queens. There are still heroin addicts. And, above all, there is still love. How can anyone say that it doesn't apply any more?

Reading the RENT bible (the coffee table book) also had a huge effect on my life. I was raised Jewish but by that time was agnostic verging on atheist. I also had a crippling fear of dying and felt the clock ticking everywhere I went. It was really bad. It wasn't just dying; it was not having enough time. I wanted to act and sing, but I knew I wasn't good enough yet and that I was wasting time doing classes and not auditioning because I was getting older by the minute and wanted to become an actress in a real movie and was worried I was starting too late. But reading about Jonathan Larson's death, which couldn't come at a worse time, made me think. I read the whole _Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants _series and in one of the books Tibby, one of the main characters, says that you can't lose anyone close to you and not believe in God because you couldn't believe that they were really gone and weren't somewhere out there, watching life. That was how I felt about Jonathan Larson. I felt that if he had died at a time like that I wasn't going to let myself believe that he was truly gone. I had to believe that he was still here, watching over us and his play. I regained my faith in God and lost my fear of death and time, for the most part. And now after every time I see the movie, I send up four claps to Jonathan Larson, just like Anthony Rapp does and I always watch the credits up until the "Thank you, Jonathan Larson."

So I don't end on such a solemn note, I'm going to add that I'm going to see the musical in May, when I'm skipping school to see my cousin's wedding in DC and get to skip an extra day to take a train on my own up to New York and go to RENT with my grandparents (and hopefully get them hooked, too)

Thank you, Jonathan Larson.

By Emily aka em91011


	46. tehspiff

Mmm, posting first thing in the morning. I really, really, REALLY don't want to present my Photo project...and I failed pretty badly at my French homework. Bleh.

But now I have to go on a tiny rant, soooooo...excuse me. Growing up in Cambridge, Massachusetts has made me a little sheltered. I was raised by two wonderful parents who, despite their flaws, always taught me that everyone is equal and everyone deserves happiness in life. They taught me have as few prejudices as possible. Added to this, I grew up in a place where being gay was happily accepted, and where religious and racial diversity were the encouraged norm. I'm used to being surrounded by all different races and colors, and almost all of my friends (many of whom are gay or bi themselves) accepted me when I came out. And when I read about parents who discourage things like this, I realize how insanely lucky I am to be growing up here. This is not to say that conservative parents are bad people or bad parents: I do not doubt that there are many wonderful people in the world who are conservative and are also great parents and love their children very much. But when I think about my childhood, being raised to not care about the differences like race or sexuality, I wish this for everyone. And I'm so insanely glad that RENT, like the miracle it is, has brought so much tolerance, understanding, and revelation into the lives of so many people. It's a bridge to acceptance and understanding, which is all we really need in this world.

So the author of this awesome account is a wonderful person for being able to walk across that bridge. I hope them (and everyone else) lots of luck with spreading the messages of RENT.

And now I am DONE ranting and you may read on.

* * *

I closed my ears, determined to not to be blasted out by another loud horror movie trailer that would burst my eardrums out. I don't remember the movie me and my family were seeing, all I remember was seeing the Rent trailer and seeing a horror movie trailer before hand that had burst my eardrums out.

Anyway, now that I look back, the trailer was hardly a trailer in the first place. It was just the cast of Rent singing Seasons Of Love and nothing else. That was it; they just showed that first scene of Rent and nothing else, which is pretty much a rip-off because it doesn't tell much about the show. But, that's a rant for another day.

Anywho, I was hardly paying attention the song because my eyes had landed on a very familiar face.the ever so lovely Idina Menzel. You see, me and my family have this tradition of going up to New York City every year a little bit before Christmas and we always see a musical. The last year we had gone we had seen Wicked and I was instantly in love with the wonderful talents of Idina, and the moment I heard her voice It actually toke me a while to notice her without all the green paint on I just HAD to see Rent, I didn't care what  
it was about. Besides, how could anything with Idina be filled with anything but wonder and joy, was my thought process at the time, and is still my thought process now. Idina still has a very special place in my heart for the very fact, if we had not seen Wicked, I really don't think I would've seen Rent. I mean, if I don't think a trailer tells me enough about a movie, I don't see it, because I think it must be lame. That I'm trying to work on

Me, my mom and my sister My dad's a weirdo and doesn't like many movies so he didn't go with us all agreed at that point we would see Rent. Now, I think you should understand how I was raised to understand my general reaction to Rent. My parents are your basic Southern, conservative, Christian parents. I love them, but, it's a sad, true fact. They raised me to think being gay is wrong, and I was never told what AIDS was, or heroin.or any of that stuff. Basically, my parents sheltered me so I went into Rent completely clueless..and..here it comes.

Deep breath I hated it. Absolutely despised it. Most of it was confusion. Take One Song Glory: my reaction, "Why is Roger giving himself a shot? Doesn't it hurt?" And Light My Candle, "What was in that package Mimi had? Sugar?" I watch Rent to this day and I always just gotta laugh at what I originally thought was happening.

Anyway, when it got to Today 4 U, I originally thought Angel was dressing up for Christmas for fun.not that she was a drag queen, also in my own navieness, I couldn't see the budding relationship between Angel and Collins happing.because simply, since Collins wasn't the 'stereotypical' gay guy, I couldn't see him being gay.

I got up to I'll Cover You.then, I just.stopped. I was completely and utterly disgusted at this scene. I felt like I had been morally corrupt, I felt dirty, like I was going to throw up. Then.I couldn't stand it anymore. I didn't leave the theater, but, I might as well have. I basically just decided to shut my brain down and didn't really pay attention from then on in.  
The only part I didn't ignore was Maureen and Joanne kissing, which disgusted me to no ends as well. It really kills me to say this, because now Angel and Collins are one of my favorite couples ever, as are Maureen and Joanne

After the movie, I felt confused, I felt sick, I felt dirty. I was wondering what the hell I had just seen. In the car ride home, all me and my sister and my mom talked about was how much we hated the movie and I had decided I would never speak of or see any thing Rent-related again.

Or so I thought.

A few weeks later, my mom had bought the soundtrack, saying she liked the music fine, but not the plot. I refused to listen to it.I wasn't. It worked for a while, until my mom for some reason bought the DVD. I still don't know why she did that to this day. I think it had something to do with wanting to see the actors singing it or something and that was it.I don't know.

I wasn't going to watch it. When my mom and sister watched it, I refused to join them. But, one day when I was bored I gave in. I just decided to watch it. I don't know, that day, the DVD was just lying there all innocent and it seemed to say to me, "What the hell?"

So.I put it in and watched it, and then.something happened. I watched it, I think for the first time I actually watched it. It was the most amazing whirl of emotions I've ever had. Most of the emotions probably weren't that good; as in I was suddenly feeling guilty and sad. But I also felt.happy for some reason. It was feeling things I have never felt before. Suddenly I saw it wasn't bad to be gay; Collins and Angel gave all the love they had in their hearts to each other and that's all that mattered.that they were in love. That they would die for each other. And Angel. She touched people, she helped them. She was a true angel. During the I'll Cover You Reprise I almost cried.I just felt so sad and guilty and stupid. How could've I have been so blind this whole time? This was not wrong. None of it.

So, this is my story. I am now in a Rent RPG and have made friends who are now some of my best friends I wouldn't give up for the world and have also touched me in ways I won't forget.

I'm Kendall, AKA teh-spiff, and this is why I love Rent.


	47. READ THIS

Hey, all you RENTheads (or readers, or both). I have just been reviewing the archives of this "fic", and I actually started crying because I was listening to Seasons while I did it and it was supremely wonderful to just immerse myself in stories of how this musical has touched so many people...and I got to thinking...

RENT is closing in June, we all know that. And I thought that, as a parting gift, I could send this compilation of "first times" to the producers and/or Jonathan's family. With all of the letters they've gotten over the years, I think it would be a nice gesture to give them a booklet of these wonderful stories. But I want to get AS MANY AS POSSIBLE, so if you haven't written an account yet, DO IT NOW!!! I'll post this on some other websites and message boards, but if you guys could spread the word that would be great! Tell people to send their first time accounts the subject line of First Time.

Email to send them to: won't let me post it. Here, let's try this: larenthead at gmail dot com.

DO NOT WANT ANY HARASSMENT or anything, but this is really important to me and...well, I think it would be a good way to say goodbye to this show. So tell everyone you can to send in their stories, and I'll find a way to send them in! I'll release another bulletin on March 18 (my little sister's birthday), so send, send, SEND!!

In the meantime, I'll continue to post any and all accounts. If you want to say anything other than an account, PM me! Thanks, everyone.

LARSON BLESS!


	48. Birdhearted's little Sister Rachel

Here is a new one: Birdhearted's little sister apparently dictated her own entry. As someone who has her own little sister, this is a tiny bit exactly my life, except that my sister is now almost 12 and likes to write too (she is also extremely short, and while everyone else tells me this is not true, I say that it is, because she is my little sister and therefore I will never see her as anything except short). Anyway, this is incredibly adorable and Birdhearted gets a gigantic cupcake for being a patient big sister, which I rarely/never am...and my father just called down to give me tips about not being mugged at night on the Orange Line, which is something I didn't really need but appreciate because he is my father. Anyway, this is insanely amazing...

Rachel: I am very impressed with you and your dictatorial prowess. Give your big sister a million thank yous and try not to tell on her...and being antisocial is what many of us do best. But anyway, thank you so much for sending us this! You get a gigantic cupcake too.

And I must admit: I have sometimes referred to Mark as a dork myself. But he's such a LOVABLE dork...

* * *

(This was dictated to me by my little sister, so please note that it does lack some grammar and intelligence. She has her own name for each character, so try to be patient. She's only nine, and she more or less just summarized each part, but she wanted to try so I let her, and I think it's interesting to see this through her eyes.) 

Hi! My name's Rachel. I'm nine years old, and I've seen Rent once on stage, and a bazillion times on DVD. My mom didn't mean to let me see Rent, but I watched it anyway because my big sister liked it. My big sister tells me that I don't really get Rent, but I do, I swear! Anyway, here's my first time:

Once, Erika (my big sister) was in the basement, watching TV. She wanted to get something on the On-Demand menu. I saw that she was gonna watch Rent, and I remembered that my mom said she couldn't, so I ran upstairs to tell on her. But mommy sort of just sighed, and came downstairs to watch. My brother came too. I think he was curious, but he didn't admit it.

Anyway, I remember they sang a really pretty song about measuring in love. I thought it was weird, 'cause I could hardly even use a ruler, so I figured they all must be really smart. I was seven, give me a break! Anyway, then after that song, I was shocked, 'cause it was showed a guy being really nice and cleaning up this guy's car window, but the guy in the car_ swore_ at him! Then this guy on a bike got mad and started singing. I thought he looked really dorky, but his friend looked really cool, which was sorta weird. And one of the guys got mugged, which was really scary! He had a really deep voice… Anyway, after that, they all started setting stuff on fire, which I think really impressed my brother, because he's a typical boy. After they all yelled (well, sang) at a guy, the guy started singing to the dork and the cool guy, which I really liked, 'cause he sounded really nice. After he left, the dork left to look for somebody. Then the cool guy went onto the roof and sang, and they showed pictures of him with this girl. Anyway, then a really pretty girl showed up and was playing with a candle with the cool guy. After that, the guy who was mugged showed up, but he was really happy now! And then a really pretty girl dressed as Santa came in. She sang about how she killed a doggy, but I barely heard it 'cause my mom and brother were arguing about whether or not Santa girl was a girl or not. That was weird, 'cause as far as I knew only girls wear dresses.

Anyway, after they did that, they all talked some. Then the dork got called by this girl he had a crush on, and he wanted to help her. He didn't seem happy about it… But he went. And then he met this African American girl who he didn't seem to like. And _he swore!_ He said the f word! They danced a lot… And then the dork fixed everything! I figured he must be like Stewart, the guy who fixes our computers.

After that, they all had what appeared to be circle time in this building, and dork interrupted them in a dorky way, but before he did that I found out that Santa girl _was a boy!_ That was weird to me, but not bad. Just weird… Then they sang a really pretty song.

Then it went to candle girl, and she was dancing in her bathing suit. She was really pretty! After she stopped dancing, she went to say hi to cool guy, and she kissed him, but he was a jerk! So she decided to hang out with Santa girl and dork and mugged guy instead, but she looked really sad about it.

The next day, dork tried to get cool guy to talk, but cool guy was being mad again. I decided at that point that he was just weird. They all went back to circle time, and this time even cool guy showed up! After that, a nasty lady yelled at dork (she swore too!) and dork looked really freaked out. But then they rode the subway, and mugged guy was really a cool dancer, so I think dork got over it.

After they rode the subway, Dork ran off with cool guy to give Santa girl and mugged guy some "grown up alone time". The two of them sang a really pretty song. It made my mommy smile. And they kissed! It was really cute.

After that, cool guy tried to make up with candle girl, and this jerk shoved him. Then they went inside, and a girl rode up in a motorcycle. She started talking about cows. At that point, my brother started laughing at my sister, about how "Elphaba" was a freak. Elphaba was pretty weird…

Anyway, at that point everybody started fighting, which was pretty scary. But then they all went out to dinner, where they had a big party! I didn't know what they were saying, but they sure liked it! Though cool guy _was_ being antisocial. My sister's friend says that my sister is that way at parties too. Anyway, then candle girl started yell-singing at cool guy. Then their beepers went off. That made everybody get all quiet for some reason… Then cool guy and candle girl went out to play in the snow. They both sang really pretty, and then they kissed. Then they went inside and kept partying! It looked like fun.

After that, it was New Year's, and they were partying. Elphaba was in a cat costume, which was really cool looking…

Then they had to beat down the door to get in, and all their stuff had vanished. I felt bad for them. After that, dork decided to get a job. But Elphaba's girlfriend wasn't paying attention, so he might not have gotten a very good job…

After that, Elphaba proposed to her girlfriend. But then they got into a fight at their party, so they broke up. It seemed like almost everybody was breaking up, 'cause cool guy and candle girl fought too.

And then I started to cry, 'cause Santa girl died, and mugged guy was really sad, and that made me sad, and everybody was fighting, which was also really sad… Then cool guy moved away, and dork wasn't happy, and they sang about it, 'cause that's what they do best.

Then they hung out again, and mugged guy came back, and then Elphaba and her girlfriend carried in candle girl. I felt really bad for candle girl, 'cause she looked sick. And then cool guy sang her back to life, and they all sang together, and it was weird, 'cause it wasn't really happy, but they were happy, and they were sad too. It was new to me, feeling so much over a movie.

A few years later, and I got smarter and more educated, and I've seen Rent on Broadway. I was really sad to hear that it was going, 'cause it was my first Broadway experience. Now I know the character's names, but I used the names I used to call them by so that you guys would get how I was back then! Thanks for reading. I love Rent!

-Rachel AKA Birdhearted's Little Sister

(Birdhearted's note: Here are translations to clarify Rachel's names for the characters:

Mark – Dork

Roger – Cool Guy

Collins – Mugged Guy

Mimi – Candle Girl

Angel – Santa Girl

Maureen – Elphaba

Joanne – Elphaba's girlfriend

Life Support – Circle Time)


	49. DragonOfLore

I have had an absolutely horrible day, so it's really nice to get 3 new accounts when I come home. This is the first of them, and it is written by a fellow Bostonian (LOVE THAT DIRTY WATER, as a friend of mine who, ironically, lives in Belmont, likes to shout in my ear). Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

* * *

My dad bought the RENT CD when it first came out and played it all the time in the car. At first I didn't understand what the people were singing about, but I liked the tune and soon memorized the words to most of the songs (wxcept songs like La Vie Boheme which are almost impossible to sing without looking up the lyrics). I was innocent and didn't know about AIDS or anything.

A couple of years later, my dad asked me if I wanted to go see the musical because he knew I liked the songs. We were going the last time the show was being performed in Boston, my hometown. On the way there, my mom asked me if I knew what the musical was about and I said I didn't. So she explained the whole thing to me and from then on I  
looked at RENT in a whole new light.

When we saw the musical I saw how the songs fit together and they were twice as meaningful now that I knew what they were about. I cried when Angel died and during some of the sadder songs. As I grew older I was able to figure out what the heck the songs were actually saying and soon I was as hooked as my dad.

Being from a well off family I never realized how people could be struggling and RENT also showed me that not everyone was so well off. The musical was and is one of my fandom loves.

By Amanda aka DragonOfLore


	50. Grapetheape

Another lovely one. Actually, I have two more after this...one was sent through another account. Read on...

* * *

I remember looking up Cats videos on Youtube. It was there, in the related videos, that I saw Seasons of Love, and clicked on it. After watching the video, I decided to go rent the movie.

Let's just say my life was changed. I made everyone watch my 'life changing' movie. I had fell in love with these characters. I remember crying every single time I watched Collins holding Angel. I think I watched it about twenty times in the five days I had it. As soon as I brought it back to the video store, I bought it. Ever since, I've watched it a lot and I've realized that it has really changed my life. Anyone who watches RENT or sees it will leave having some part of them changed, that's for sure. I've even wrote an essay at school about RENT and converted some more RENT heads.

I'm one of the unfortunates who'll never get to see it in New York, but I've got tickets to see the tour. And I'm extremely happy to see it live for the first time. I'm pretty sure that I'll be hooked even more.

By Katy aka Grapetheape


	51. RentFreak

This is another great one, with a personal dedication at the end. One Song Glory is playing on my computer right now, and I must admit, if I'm going to make it through the semester, I need this goddamn musical.

Very. Badly.

* * *

I clearly remember the hot summer afternoon my best friend Maddog came over with a CD that changed my life. It was the "Rent's Greatest Songs" CD, from the OBC track. It wasn't even the full Broadway soundtrack, but it made all the difference. 

The part I remember most clearly about listening to that CD for the first time was asking Maddog "why is she howling?" when listening to "Out Tonight". (Remember, at this point, I am a naive 12-year-old.) But the CD intrigued me, and I asked Maddog if she had the movie. She didn't, but she was willing to walk two miles round-trip to the nearest video store to get it. (RENT is a powerful force indeed.)

I remember the wait. I even remember the magazine I was reading- TIME magazine, and it was an article about Opus Dei. Why did I remember all these random details, but I didn't even remember what I thought when listening to "Tango: Maureen"? I guess I'll never know.

To continue with the story, she came back, and as we were putting the DVD in, Maddog tried to explain about the OBC-cast. I was having difficulty understanding the whole everyone-is-the-original-except-Joanne-and-Mimi thing, and it was made worse by not knowing which characters were which. However, once the movie started, I forgot everything.

Literally.

The first scene (after "Seasons of Love") blew me away. It was so powerful, and the visual effects (zomg! It's fire! In a trash can!) stunned me. (Well, I am a pyro.) And La Vie Boheme just...blew my mind. After its last note, as the cast struck a pose on the tables of the Life Cafe, I sat stunned and completely still for a whole minute. Then, I asked my friend "Uh...can I watch it again?" (I did.) But the part that I remember most vividly was near the end, when Roger was starting to sing to Mimi. My mother wandered in, and asked if this was the movie based on the opera "La Boheme". We told her it was, and she told us "Oh, well, she dies in the end, you know." At this revelation, me and Maddog grabbed each other and started sobbing, all through "Your Eyes". And then, when all seemed lost, Mimi came back to life, and it was amazing.

And that is how I fell in love with RENT.

As for how it's affected me most deeply, well, all I can say is that RENT is the only movie to ever make me cry.

Ever.

RENT  
1996-2008  
Broadway is dark tonight. 

By Vicy aka RentFreak


	52. BackyardTaang

Just as great. It's amazing the way some people cand find this musical...god, I just love it.

* * *

Once upon a time there was a land far away, a land called There was a place on called the JN (Jimmy Neutron) forum. Everyone there were friends (with the exception of the evil Benny-like dictator, Will, but that is another story). I made many friends on that forum, but one of the few I will probably remember for the rest of my life was Neena.

Neena was a girl who was about five years older than I was at the time. She was obsessed with Broadway, especially with a show called Wicked and a singer named India (not a typo, I seriously thought that was her name). Everything she mentioned was about Broadway. I wouldn't have gotten into it at all if it was not for her.

After hanging out with her via JN Forum I had learned all about Avenue Q and Wicked and a few things about RENT. I only knew basic things like who the characters were, most of the actors, and the majority of the songs. Around Christmas when I was thirteen years old Neena was cast in her school's production of RENT. Wicked had taken a backseat to her and I learned almost everything single thing there was to know about it.

That June, Neen had been accepted to college and left the forum. That month I also saw the movie version of RENT for the first time. It was amazing. Today 4 U and Tango Maureen made me cheer, Out Tonight and Santa Fe made me want to dance, La Vie Boheme and Over the Moon had me roaring with laughter, and Without You and Angel's funeral made me cry.

Fast forward a year later. Because of Neen I was inspired to see "Beauty and the Beast" one Bway. My first Broadway show ever. Fast forward again to September or October of this year. I made friends with one of the freshmen at my school, Morgan. Morgan had told me that Anthony and Adam had returned to the cast... but left by the time she had told me.

Ever since then I never shut up about RENT. I have bought the DVD, the movie soundtrack, the OBCR, and lots more merchandise to come when I see RENT for the first, and sadly last, time on March 8th at 2:00pm.

Thank you Jonathon Larson, may your work may never be forgotten and may it continue to inspire generations to come. And thank you Neena, for welcoming me into this wonderful world I never want to exit from. Viva La Vie Boheme. No Day But Today.

By Angela aka BackyardTaang (can't find the name but oh well)


	53. DramaQueenMaureen

This one is very similar to mine, and I really love it. By the way, the author gets a gigantic pile of marshmallows and chocolate for GIVING ME ABSOLUTELY NO NEED TO SPELLCHECK! WOOHOO!

Anyway, I love the whole thing and I quite agree with the statement at the end. And a quick note for the Panda (sorry to hijack this...)

I'm going to see RENT over February vacation, and I can't look forward to it. Why? Because even more than loving every second of the experience, I'll hate every second of the parting. I'll see it with my mother, who's been my biggest family anchor in the RENT world, and it's going to be cathartic...and I know Jonathan would be very annoyed with me for feeling this way, but all I can think about is how much it's going to hurt to know that this is the last time I will ever see it onstage. This show changed my life and is still doing so, and saying goodbye to the Nederlander will be one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I've been there maybe 7 times in my life and it feels like home...how am I cupposed to enjoy such a big ending?

Bah, humbug. I am stupid. Read this amazing account and don't let me act like a lunatic.

* * *

I would love to be able to say that I was one of the original RENTheads back in 1996, who saw the show and fell in love. I would love to be able to say that when the OBC still reigned, I was a struggling artist who could only afford tickets by camping out in The Line. Sadly, that's not the story. In 1996, I was three years old.

Strange as it may sound, my RENTheadedness is all thanks to Wicked. I was and am a huge Wicked fan, and I was obsessed with Idina Menzel. So when my friend said that she had rented RENT (heh) for a sleepover she was having, I jumped at the chance to watch a whole movie full of Idina.

I still remember sitting at my friend's table, eating pizza, as the DVD menu popped up. My first reaction was to squee at the clip of Idina, but afterwards I was mesmerized by the beautiful chords of Seasons of Love.

Time to backtrack a little. My love affair with Seasons of Love began long before I even knew that it was from RENT. I heard the song a few times, and thought it was lovely. Then my amazing chorus teacher chose it for one of our performances, and I fell in love with the music and the words. I immediately bought the song off iTunes (even though it turned out to be that weird Stevie Wonder version) and listened to it nonstop.

But anyway. The movie started, and my friend who had seen it once before explained a few little details as the opening chords played. However, I pretty much tuned her out as soon as the characters started to sing. I smiled as I finally heard the song I loved so much as it was supposed to be sung. Then Rent started. I pretty much thought it was the most badass, awesome, rock-out song ever. And being the rebellious, music-loving pyromaniac that I am, when the chorus joined in and started throwing fire out the windows, I couldn't stop grinning. This…was…AWESOME.

By the time Angel rescued Collins from the alley, I was completely mesmerized. Before my friend said it, I just knew they would end up as a couple. The way those two men looked at each other was just adorable.

I knew Taye Diggs was Idina's husband, and during You'll See, I could see why. He was so charming, and I loved his voice. At first I couldn't see why Mark and Roger didn't like him, until it was revealed that he had sold out, and started acting like an asshole.

Then One Song Glory started. I was struck by the passion in Adam Pascal's voice, and immediately decided that I quite liked Roger. April, not so much. My friend explained that she had killed herself after finding out she had AIDS, and I exhibited my tendency to get pissed off at fictional characters.

Enter Mimi. Light My Candle was adorable, and I thought Mimi was hilarious. I could understand every emotion on Roger's face, and the way he said "Fingers – I figured" turned it into one of my favorite RENT quotes for a while. When Mimi made the sexy exit with her smack, I decided she was awesome.

When Today 4 U started, I fell in love with yet another character. I thought Angel was beautiful, and her drum solo and back flip were so kickass that she became my favorite character in the initial stage of my RENTheadedness. This would be the song that I would sing constantly and do embarrassing dances to in front of the school. Angel was pretty much the coolest person ever.

I could go on for at least three more pages, but suffice it to say that I was completely wrapped up in every single second of the movie. The moment that last chord ended and Angel's beautiful face faded off the screen, I burst into tears. To this day, RENT is the only movie that has made me honest-to-goodness cry.

After a few minutes when my two best friends and I sobbed, and our other two friends waited for us to finish sobbing (they never really saw the big deal), it went back to typical sleepover madness. But I couldn't get that music and that message out of my head. My friend burned me the OBC recording, and I didn't stop listening to it for at least three months straight with no other music in between. Not even Wicked. And that's really saying something, because my eighth-grade self lived for Wicked.

Then, about half a year later (I believe it was the day before my birthday), my two best friends and I got the opportunity to go into the city and try to get RENT lottery tickets. We all entered our names, and we actually mooed on the streets on our way to lunch, we were that excited. Standing in line as we listened for our names, my friend actually PRAYED to Adam Pascal. And miraculously, with the combination of winning two tickets and buying two more off a scalper, we actually got seats. I sat there in the second row, actually watching live the thing that had changed my life.

Before RENT, I was sheltered, like so many others in this post-movie generation of RENTheads. I didn't have a problem with gay people (in fact, I was way more tolerant of differences than most people I knew), but I didn't know any, and I didn't completely understand them. I knew next to nothing about AIDS and drugs. Now, I long to ditch the suburbs for New York, and my circle of friends and my outlook about them have changed. Before, they were people to hang out with. Now, I like them a hell of a lot more than my family. I've broken out of my shell, and I've taken an even bigger interest in theater. Basically, I'm a different person. I've met some really great friends through RENT. (shout-out to Wayne and Panda!)

And it sounds funny, but now that RENT is closing, I feel this odd sort of peace about it. Obviously, I'm incredibly sad, but I got the chance to see it twice, once with Adam Pascal (Anthony wasn't there that night), and that's more than I can say for many RENTheads. And it had to end eventually. And if I may paraphrase Albus Dumbledore like the dork I am, RENT will never end as long as there are RENTheads who love it.

Thank you, Jonathan Larson.

1996-2008: The end of an era.

By Mo aka DramaQueenMaureen


	54. lotrelves

Hey, everyone, hope you guys are enjoying vacation. My email has been down for a little while, so I'm only now posting this and a few others...several of them garnered from the posts I put on message boards. Please, PLEASE spread the word! Anyway, this is a lovely one as always, and I feel no shame in saying that my mother has seen my cry countless times...meh.

* * *

Now, um, I probably don't remember the first time I heard of RENT. I probably saw a trailer or heard a song, but I don't remember when. But, I do know when I heard about it the second time. It was actually through this site. I was on a Wicked forum and my friends Jelly, Mel, and Sparky all had seen RENT and Sparky had seen it live, I think. She told me there was a tour. I looked it up and saw that it wasn't in LA. So, she told me about the movie, saying it was good, but not as good as the live musical (something that I agree with now). Anyway, she told me to get the movie.

I waited for days and days, until it finally arrived from Netflix. I waited a day, and that night I got my mom to watch it with me. It was September 10th 2007. Yes, I remember the day. So, I went to watch it.

So, we got through most of the movie, up to Out Tonight. Now, Mel had warned me about this scene, so I wasn't so shocked. I think my mom was though. She didn't say anything, though.

When Angel died, I was so sad. Even though Mel had let slip that she died. I think my mom was sad too. I remember having to get up and down to get water so my mom wouldn't see me cry.

Now, after I told my friends about my opinion of RENT, I didn't think about it till November, when I just randomly decided to listen to RENT. Since then, the obsession hasn't worn off.

I didn't watch RENT all the way through until December 22nd with my friends at a sleepover. One of them had already seen it, but two hadn't. So, we got it. The girl and I who'd seen it tried not to give anything away. And, when Angel died, the guy in our group pretty much summed up what we were all thinking: "No! Oh, god no."

Since then, they've become RENTheads too.

I don't think there's a day now where RENT related things don't cross my mind. My friends and I sing RENT a lot, and I've watched RENT with my two other friends who were starting to get confused.

Mark and Angel are my favorite characters. The way the characters live and the words the sing really speaks to me. I've even started making movies/videos of my friends, and have tried, really tried to live No Day But Today.

I hope the RENT tour does come to LA, because I'll never be able to see it on Broadway.

I hope future people get to experience the amazing-ness that is RENT.

Thank you, Jonathan Larson.

By lotrelves aka Elfy/Ally


	55. One Shot Glory

Wow. This is a really great one...very honest and from a viewpoint we don't get a lot. Thanks so much to the author for sending it in, and thanks a frigging million for that note in the middle (read on and you will find it, everyone). We need more guys who can let themselves be open...even about remembering exactly what they bought on their first date.

And I wish they sold cookie dough bites at the movie theaters near ME.

* * *

I was at the crossroad of the age of thirteen. It was my first date, well my first REAL date. The girl I was taking out, Sarah, was really cool. She wanted to go see a movie so I complied. I was sure what we were going to see when she told me RENT. I had no idea what the hell it was and if I did know what it was I probably wouldn't have gone 

We showed up, bought all of our junk and stuff. I remember exactly what we got and how much it cost me:

2 tickets 2.50 ($6.25 a piece)

1 bag of large popcorn $4.50

2 medium drinks (one root beer, one cherry Pepsi) $6.50

1 thing of cookie dough bites $3.50

It's quite sad that to this day I can remember that, but hell it was my first date.

So, we went and sat down in the very back. The theater wasn't very crowded. That was my first sign that she had brought me to something weird.

We went through all those goddamn credits that everyone hates and finally the movie started.

The first thing I heard was song, I looked at her with a confused look on my face.

"It's a musical."

I sighed and sat back in my seat, itching to go into the bathroom and take a hit.

I sat through the first few minutes, thinking about how hot this "Maureen" chick was.

Then the song RENT came on and it caught my attention rather quickly. It wasn't the normal Broadway music. It was like rock and I loved it.

From that moment on I was captivated. I loved it.

I didn't really pay much attention to Roger until One Song Glory. When I saw him and April shoot up it gripped me.

I had been using meth than for about 3 months and I was hooked. (A/N: Not trying to sound like a health teacher or a cop but DON'T DO DRUGS! It is seriously the worst thing you could ever do. I threw away 3 years of my life. Trying to escape from life NEVER works. It will always be there when the drugs wear off.)

I tried not to cry when Collins sang at Angel's funeral. My pride stood in the way. I tried to act like I didn't care when Mimi almost died. Sometimes its hard being a guy.

When the movie was over Sarah stood up and looked at me and said, "That movie was stupid."

My mom took her home and I never took her up on her offers to go to the movies again.

That, folks, was Finnigan's first encounter with RENT.

By Finn aka One Shot Glory


	56. LifeIsTooQuick

Beautiful, and with a minimum of spellchecking required (plus). By the way, I'm going up to NYC with my mom this Thursday to see RENT for what may be the last time. I think I've blathered about this before, but...god, my friend Phia put it really well: "sometimes it seems like the happiness of having something isn't going to make up for the pain of losing it." It will be a fantastic, insanely wonderful experience...but it will hurt so badly to leave.

Bah. Forget my rantings, and enjoy this!

* * *

The first time I heard of Rent was when the movie came out. I was a freshman in high school and my best friend, Kayleigh, and I were discussing going to see it. Kayleigh and I are devoted Key Club members (The high school branch of Kiwanis) and so were avid Burger Buddies. Burger Buddies is an small group of high school students who goes over to Burger School, a school for autistic children, and play games with the students. Kayleigh and I could not for the life of us drive (even if it was legal for 14 year-olds to do so) and so got a ride from our high school to Burger school every Tuesday and Thursday. One of these days we were driven by two Juniors who were also best friends. This was my first taste of Rent. When we got in the car they were listening to the Rent soundtrack. the song playing I later discovered was "One Song Glory", but I didn't pay much attention. When they told me it was the Rent soundtrack they were listening to I asked them if it was any good. The girls immediately exploded into explaining how it was one of the most amazing musicals ever, that it was wonderful, and we should DEFINITELY see it. When asked about the plot, however, the girls couldn't quite come up with words to fully explain it .(I now understand their struggles in the car that day.) They ended up explaining it as "Eight people living in New York and trying to survive... And AIDS." It didn't sound particularly interesting, but I loved musicals so I figured I would give it a shot one day. By the end of this conversation "Light My Candle" had begun. I couldn't really understand most of what they were singing, but I gathered that they were looking for each other. The only line I managed to understand was "It's a candy bar wrapper." Kayleigh, obviously, also understood just the single line and we exchanged weirded out looks with each other, but didn't say anything in the car with the avid RENT fans. Once we got out of the car, however, we burst out laughing at the fact that some guy was singing about a candy bar wrapper. We figured we should see it just to understand that one line. 

A year passed and, due to the plethora of movies released that winter, Kayleigh and I never managed to see Rent. STARZ came to my rescue. I had constantly flipped through our movie channels and had seen that Rent was on. I would flip it on but it would usually be a good half hour into the movie and I would never understand what was going on. So I would wait... And wait... And wait... Finally I managed to be channel surfing at the exact right moment- Rent was starting in ten minutes. I remember the exact starting time- November 18, 2006 6:50 pm. My mom off to play Euchre with her friends and my little brother on the computer, I was all set to watch a movie I wasn't even sure I would make it to the end of. I was slightly confused the first time (I had no idea what AZT was, missed the end of "One Song Glory" due to my mom's long good-bye before leaving, and after being driven insane by where I had seen Mimi from, couldn't wait until the end of the movie to check it out and so missed all of "Over the Moon"), but by the end of the movie I was thinking the movie was pretty good, and definitely worth recommending to my friends.

A few days later Rent was accessible OnDemand, so I was able to watch it again and see the scenes I missed. I liked it even more and the next day convinced another of my best friends, Sam, to watch it with me. By then I loved it. I asked for the DVD and the soundtrack for Christmas and began to learn anything and everything I could about it. I was a very impatient person, however, and taped the movie off of our OnDemand so I could watch it obsessively in my room. For about four straight months I watched it at least once a day, often falling asleep to the singing at night. I also checked out the book Rent from the library and read the libretto. The stage version, I discovered, was even more amazing then the movie.

I wasted no time in discovering when the tour would come to the Detroit area and was ecstatic when my dad agreed to take Sam and me to see it. That was one of the best days of my life. On March 11, 2007 at 2:00 pm I was finally able to enjoy the amazing stage production of Rent. Words cannot describe how incredibly happy I was to be watching it, I even wrote a feature on it for the Observer Teen Voices I was in. The only thing my dad could have done to make the day even better was agree to stand outside the stage door in the cold with us for nearly an hour so Sam and I could get everyone's autographs. This was also the day I was convinced my dad was the most awesome guy on the planet (Up until then I had had suspicions, but I wasn't entirely sure yet). We, unfortunately, didn't get Declan Bennet's or Jennifer Colby Talton's autographs, but that was fine. We got everyone else and they were all so nice. I especially loved Harley Jay and Tracy McDonald (she, to this date, is still my favorite Maureen) and Sam still gushes about how sweet Ano Okera was and how much she loved his lizard pin.

During the so-far year and a half following my first Rent viewing I managed to convince some of my other friends to watch Rent as well. One of my proudest moments was, months after making Kayleigh watch Rent with me, she called me on the phone just to "let [me know that she feels a real strong Rent addiction coming on." I even managed to squeeze a character not played by Joshua Jackson onto my friend Kim's fictional boyfriends list by introducing her to the wonder that is Mark Cohen. As I'm writing this, a bunch of my friends and I (both past Rent viewers and hopeful future ones) are planning a movie party at my house where the main attraction is Rent. I also grew closer to an old friend of mine, Kaitlyn, when, after being placed on the same softball team last Summer, we began discussing Rent one day which grew into other conversations and, eventually, a friendship that extended outside of the four hours a week we played ball together. We've even made plans for a line of Build-A-Bear Rent characters. (We, so far, have Mark and Roger.)

Rent is one of the most amazing things that has ever happened to my life. I know it seems weird to hold a work of fiction in such a high position, but it is really one of the greater joys in my life (beat out only by Harry Potter and chocolate) and I can't imagine my life now without it. It brought me closer to my friends, gave me new ones, and gave me a new outlet and inspiration for my creativity. Most importantly, though, it gave me another little place for me to escape to and hide from the real world for a while. Rent is one of those timeless movies (and plays) that I will never tire of watching and will always love. I am so glad I chose to ride with those girls.

By Lauren aka LifeIsTooQuick


	57. xwerewolfxlover

This story is posted by a friend of the previous author, and I think it's wonderful to see them side by side. Ah, "AIDS: The Musical," how we love thee.

* * *

The first … wow…. I heard of Rent was when my good friend at the time Carmen told me that she watched some really good musicals. She knew how much I loved old musicals and insisted I watch new ones. Chicago, Moulin Rouge, and Rent. 

The first one I saw was Chicago and loved it. She was with me which made it seem more familiar and I loved how it wasn't such a happy movie (ok yeah hilarious) but it, after all, is about a murderous trying to get off of death row. Not your everyday Singing in the Rain. Then I rented Rent and Moulin Rouge.

Now the plot of the musical I must say did not strike me as my type of movie. Lesbos, homos , and a drag queen, were not the type of characters I was used too. I mean I was in 8th grade and I wasn't clueless about AIDS and drugs, but I didn't go around watching movies with all sorts of these….err topics. But I didn't want to not watch it and lie to her so I decided I would.

Now it is super hard for me to watch a movie I have no interest, straight. I have to be doing something. It so happened my little brother had a football game that fateful Saturday and I took my laptop and movie with me. It was freezing like no other outside and I was not sitting in the bleachers…windshield…hello. So I sat in the car playing solitaire while playing RENT in the corner of the screen.

At first I was only listening to the movie… semi glancing when I heard a new voice. By the end, solitaire was gone and I was totally loving the movie. I walked out of the car up the bleachers looked at my mom stared and said... "I JUST WATCHED THE BEST MOVIE OF MY LIFE".

The next day I searched everything on Rent I could find. Everything.

Clips, interviews, articles, fan sites, illegal videos from Broadway……Broadway. The show looked 100 times better then the movie…and the movie had already became number one on my movie list.

So when I heard it was coming to Detroit on tour, I was going there one way or another. My mom, dad and everyone else who could drive refused to buy tickets, refused to watched the movie. My parents did not think AIDS was good topic for a musical. I tried to explain but it was impossible. It came down to the day before the last day it was in Detroit. I went online and begged to my mom it would never come back. I needed to go and being a loving mom, she went. We got front row balcony not bad at all. It was an OMG OMG OMG moment after every act.

And who do I run in to but an old friend Lauren, who just happened to be there the same day. Now we are totally close. I guess you can say RENT brought us together.

Needless to say I love RENT. It has totally changed my views on certain things. Lesbians, homosexuals, and cross dressers no longer weird me out. I love them. Sometimes more then "normals". It's a story that opens your eyes to think, "Today could be the last, how do I want to spend it?". It will forever be life changing for me. I never did watch Moulin Rouge.

By xwerewolfxlover


	58. Twisties

God, I love ones like this. They just show how beautifully RENT has changed lives. And I really love reading about people who RENT has helped come to terms with their sexualities and themselves. My favorite line (SPOILERS): "Besides, we all know black people can't be gay…right?"

My friend said something similar (when I was trying to get her to tango with me): "I'm Jewish! There are very few of us who are born with the ability to dance...except for the Horah! I can grapevine in a circle, and that's the extent of my coordination!"

Okay, not very similar. But I love that girl, and she's a great one for one-liners. Anyway, read and be amazed!

* * *

**A Trip with My Best Friend**

I was lucky—well, sort of lucky I guess. I saw RENT a week after it came out in theatres; I'm pretty sure if I look hard enough I still have the ticket somewhere in the disaster area called my room. When I saw it I was…enthralled. I'm not sure if that's the right word to use really, but the experience was indescribable. I saw it with two of my friends, one of whom I found out afterwards is homophobic, and I loved it. They on the other hand were afraid of it.

After leaving the cinema all I could think was _wow_. The movie was amazing; the acting was superb and the singing was, UGH, soooo good!!! But according to one of my friends, thanks to me making her see this she would have nightmares for a week. The thought of two men kissing crept her out that much. Yet as I already said, I loved RENT. I loved every moment of it. A bonus to it also, was that I got to see all the scenes Christopher Columbus had to cut out to make it PG-13…even the ones that aren't on the DVD. If you recall, when RENT was first in theatres it was unrated because, well, it's RENT! So I saw Halloween, Goodbye Love, and even a scene of April cutting her wrists in the bathtub. After I left, I knew this was something I had to own.

I'm a person who after seeing something or reading something, will think about that something non-stop. It was no different with RENT. I knew from a young age, about eleven or so, that I was different. But being black, I figured it was nothing. Besides, we all know black people can't be gay…right? But seeing RENT proved me wrong. Not only were there two black gay people in the movie, but they were perfectly normal! They lived lives just like I imagine my friends and I will live when we're older and cooler. They just focused their love on a person, not that person's sex. It got me wondering about myself…

For two months all I can think about is RENT and how amazing it was and how wonderful the singing was and just…everything about it. While watching TV one day I saw the commercial for it and asked my mother if we could go out and purchase it for me. Now, I've always had a very good relationship with my mother. She's like my best friend, or as close to one as I'll ever have. But sometimes in this friendly relationship we have, I forget my mom is almost 30 years older than me. When it hits me that she is, it usually hits me hard. My mother told me that she didn't want me to own RENT because she didn't want me to be able to see that type of behavior whenever I wanted to.

"What type of behavior mom?"

"Alaina," she replied, "You know what I'm talking about."

I was shocked. This couldn't be my mom talking, "You mean the fact that some of the people are gay?"

"Yes. You don't need to be surrounded by that."

Now at the time, I just looked at her and went to my room. Now I wish I hadn't. But anyway, it took six months and an essay to convince my mother to let me own the RENT soundtrack. It took another six months and begging for it as a Christmas present for me to be able to own the actual DVD.

After I owned it, I did watch it non-stop for about a month…but that's expected; I do that with everything new I receive. One day, my mom and I were having bonding time and we decided to watch the documentary on disc 2, "No Day but Today". Now, I'm not one who cries easily at anything but my mom is. And by then end of it she was _bawling_. She finally got the message that I tried to get her to understand for two years. RENT wasn't some crazy propaganda from the devil (She's hardcore Christian, I'm still trying to figure out what I am) but a story about a year in the life of friends. That's all.

So my mom fell in love with RENT, stole my movie soundtrack, and went crazy. We saw the show together in 2007 with the touring cast. I'd never seen the show live, let alone heard the other songs included in the show. As instantly as I fell in love with the movie, I fell ten times harder for the show. Just seeing those raw emotions put out there live…there's no words that can describe it. My favorite songs were "Contact" and "Christmas Bells" and I fell in love with Warren G. Nolan's rendition of "I'll Cover You (Reprise)". It was truly an experience and I'm glad I could share it with my best friend.

On June 8th, 2007, a day after I turned 16, I came out to my mother—I told her I was bisexual. It was one of the hardest things that I've ever done to this day. The hardest thing was not the act itself, but the fact that I wasn't sure how my mother would act. But she supported me and told me that while she didn't fully agree with my choice of life, she would always love me no matter what. That's all that mattered to me. I don't voice it often because I'm such a reserved person, but I do love my mom and I'm glad that I can know that she loves me for me too.

RENT helped me to understand that I wasn't alone in this world. That there were people just like me who was trying to live life to its fullest. It let me know that people out there could love me for being me and that if I had to hid who I was to someone then I really didn't need them. A lot of people say that RENT let them know that they were gay or lesbian, but for me, it just made me more comfortable in my skin. I wasn't afraid to be who I was anymore. Being bisexual doesn't define me…it's like me saying that my hair is kinky or that my foot cramps all the time. That doesn't define Alaina. I choose to define me; RENT helped along the way with that.

And it helped me to be closer to my best friend.

I'm going to see the 4th to last performance on May 31st and although I'm sad, I understand that all good things must come to and end. One day I still hope to be able to audition for RENT and make it, be it at its Broadway revival, in regional theatre, or in amateur theatre. No matter where it's located, RENT will live forever on in the hearts of people like me and people like you. The _true_ RENTheads.

Thank you, Jonathan Larson, for blessing us with your wonderful work of art. I wouldn't be the confident (at least more than I used to be) person I am today without it.

By Twisties aka Alaina


	59. Scribbler86

I started crying halfway through this--partly because I was listening to "Will I?" and ever since last night that's set me off (more on that in a sec) but also because this is such a deep and profound example of how RENT has touched every kind of person imaginable. This is a beautifully written piece from a person whose world I know nothing about...but at the same time, we (all) can share this incredible piece of art and everything it stands for. I love RENT more than ever when I read things like this, because they convince me that RENT will really never die.

Quick thing: I SAW IT ON BROADWAY LAST NIGHT (and those who might roll their eyes at the capitals, this is an insanely big deal for me because I can rarely get to NYC). It was incredible...AND WE WON LOTTERY. Actually, me, my mom, and my aunt entered for lottery. And I am cursed--like, super cursed, because I have never in my life won a raffle. Well, the Curse was Reversed...or Semi-Reversed, because while I didn't win, both my mom and my aunt DID. We had backup tix in case, but we got the front row almost exactly in the center, and it was AMAZING. Harley pointed at me and winked in La Vie Boheme ("to you and you and you, you, and YOU!") because he saw me spazzing, and Rodney smiled at me during bows, and I was really able to jazz along (and weep along) with the cast. I had a great time at stagedoor, and the truth is...sitting there in the Nederlander, listening to those songs and living that story and just being there...there is nowhere I'm happier. I feel at home in a place I go to maybe twice a year...I love it.

GAAH! I did the hijacking thing again! Please ignore me and read this wonderful piece of work.

* * *

I can honestly inform the reader that RENT has opened up a brand new chapter in my life. For one thing, it gave me a boost up the ladder of music appreciation. Secondly, I can relate many aspect of the musical to my culture – in fact, Jenny and I came up with a rewrite of the score so it applied to the ideals of oralsim taking over ASL (as opposed to Calcutta versus Bohemia) – and our interpretation of 'La vie Boheme' as 'La vie Deafie' reveals all. That and the 3 a.m. recordings of us performing the songs in sign language with "voice interpretation" provided by both CDs. It is one of the few musicals that everybody in the Deaf lounge knew - and they were mostly old-school musicals such as Rodgers and Hammerstein's. But RENT was one of the rare ones that everybody could connect to, albeit being deaf themselves. Granted, the music, being more accessible to them, did play a part (with heavy percussion and a easy-to-follow beat), and the lyrics were straightforward and made sense as in par to the story being told. Also, it was one of the few musicals released to film that were actually captioned for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. As for me, a musical theater junkie (I contradict myself - being Deaf and loving musicals). It took me a while – eight months – to fully experience what the musical, RENT, had to offer. 

I first heard about RENT from the son of my mom's friend when he brought the CD over to share with our mothers. I remember that I liked the music upon hearing it blast from the stereo system but didn't check into it further and forgot about it. This was a few years before the film version came out. Then I would hear strains of music from the musical here and there but didn't make a connection to it yet. Then came collge and I met some hearing students in Deaf studies - one was my roommate, a musical theater afficinado, and a friend who lived down the hall. They went and saw the movie in the theaters and came back raving about it and tried to persuade me to go. Finally I gave in.

So off we went, into the car and braving the freeways that make up the heart of the San Fernando Valley in California to the little movie theater in the most random place to see the film version of RENT. In the car, my roommate put on RENT and blasted the stereo in the car while our friend drove. I sat in the backseat, enjoying my roommate's wild signing (both of them are Deaf Studies majors and therefore, sign fluently despite being hearing themselves.) Watching them, I did put two and two together and just enjoyed the random lyrics from random songs, though I knew "Seasons of Love" well enough to recognize it.

Finally we arrived at the theater. "We better not be going to see Harry Potter!" My roommate grimaced while signing in a dramatic flair. Passing the promotional poster for the fourth installment of the story of the boy wizard, I couldn't help myself by grinning at the thought of actually dragging her in to see Potter instead of RENT. That would be folly on our part as what my roommate wanted, she gets. And that was to see RENT, even though it was her fourth time and our friend's second time. Me? It was my first time. Luckily for us, the film was offered with open captions. Which meant I had no way to weasel my way out of this situation. It was for my benefit and the sakes of my roommate and friend. As much as I wanted to divert off the sidewalk and into the theater showing Potter, I grudgingly followed my buddies across the street to the other theater.

My roommate was on her RENT high - as usual. Our friend and I walked side by side watching my roommate sing/sign lyrics from various songs as she threw herself with much gusto, at the RENT poster just outside the theater.

"Oh thank god! For a moment there I thought you two were seriously thinking of dragging me to see Harry Potter!" She threw the door open and gestured for us to go in. "Viva la vie boheme!" Not catching the drift, I shrugged while the friend sniggered to herself as she asked for three tickets. I fingered my ticket stub, noting the OCA next to the title and pointed it out.

"That's for open-captioned. Good, we're in the right place." Our friend explained how the film itself would play with subtitles, captioning the lyrics and sound effects in addition to the dialogue itself. I had some experience with closed-captioned films, but open-captioned films where everybody in the auditorium would be exposed to the words was beyond me. Prior to the day I only saw two open-captioned films in my lifetime and neither one was fully captioned. The first, being "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" did not caption the sound effects. Later on, when I saw "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" just a week before, they did not caption the song lyrics. So here was my third attempt at a fully-captioned movie.

Seating ourselves somewhere in the middle of the theater, we noted four other individuals, none who matched the classic description of a RENT head - or someone in my roommate's class. Donned from head to toe in RENT paraphernalia, she clearly defined her standards of the Broadway musical.

Anticipating the opening of the movie, I listened in while the two of them discussed the film. During what felt like hundreds of seconds, I contemplated my situation. A week earlier, the two of them had seen the movie (of course my roommate went on opening night and the friend a few days later) and were discussing it and trying to convince me to go and see it. Due to my experience with captioned movies in theaters (woefully limited - I tried to convince my town to get Chicago back in 2003 but was denied) and my clear preference of old-school musicals such as "The Sound of Music" or "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat", I had no interest in seeing RENT. But that was before I knew what it was about. My exposure to the musical was through listening to the original cast recording (and the film soundtrack) 24/7 back in the dorm, courtesy of my roommate. I only knew of "Seasons of Love", having been mentioned some years ago by a son of my mom's friend, who loved the musical as well. After a world of "No", I finally relented and let them scourge the Los Angeles metropolitan area for a captioned showing. Why? Because I'm Deaf. Though I do have a cochlear implant. My preferred mode of communication is sign language.

The music reached a crescendo as the notes to "Seasons of Love" played and I looked up to see the names of the cast popping up on screen. I recognized some names, having seen them in other locations (like "Wicked" and "Chicago"). Somehow in my train of thoughts, I missed the previews. Taking a moment to glance sideways, I caught my roommate jumping in her seat and squealing in delight when her favorite, Idina Menzel, appeared onscreen. Suddenly the eight souls onstage began to sing. "_Five hundred, twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes_..." I adjusted the volume dial on my cochlear implant, increasing the volume, and leaned in, drinking in the music piping itself into my head though electromagnetic radiation. I could feel motion nearby as someone stirred in their seat but paid no attention, assuming it was our friend trying to contain my roommate's excitement.

Ignoring them, I continued to watch them. "_Five hundred twenty five thousand moments so dear..."_ Reality came flooding into my eyes when somebody waved their hand in my face, breaking my concentration. Irritated, I turned around to see our friend signing something. In the darkness of the theater, I only caught a sign here and there. Eventually through several repeatings, the message was clear. No captions. Not understanding, I glanced back at the screen showing Collins singing his solo and realized that all the time we had been watching, someone had forgotten to turn the captions on. Even so, I did not realize they were not on. A light bulb went on in my head as I realized that I had been watching "Seasons of Love" and understanding most of the lyrics being sung. My friend got up and went to alert management to turn them on. They eventually did, halfway through the song "RENT".

The movie played on and I started to see why my roommate was crazy about this one. It had an universal message that everybody could share. But two things remained clear in my mind upon walking out the theater after the movie with tear-brimmed eyes (for Angel) and hope (for more RENT), were two fleeting glimpses that the average person might not have caught, but for me, it meant a lot. The first moment was when Maureen came in just before "Over the Moon" and upon climbing the stage, she flashed the audience the sign for "I love you." I thought my eyes were fooling, but a glance at my roommate confirmed - yes they did sign it. The second one only came a few minutes later but it confirmed RENT's standing in the Deaf community - the entire gang signed the ASL letters for B and C for "To Valclav Havel, to the Sex Pistols, to 8BC"... Those moments had a lasting imprint on me and I was drawn to the music, finding it easy to follow the beat and not only that, but to understand the vocals as well.

Upon returning to the dorm, I grabbed my roommate's CD and put it in the player and commanded her to "interpret all the songs" which she gladly did. For hours and hours. First, she would put the songs in random order and play "Guess That Tune" with me, asking me to guess what song was being played (she saw it as a game, I saw it as auditory rehabilitation - through this, I learned to hear the music and memorize the lyrics to the point where I interpreted the CDs and DVD for my friends who are Deaf). We played the DVD (when it came out) nonstop, 24/7. (I'm sure our two other roommates loved us... they refuse to watch the movie as it was "deaf-friendly" and they themselves were not exactly keen about the deaf culture). It got to the point where I could watch it with my eyes closed and listen to it and be able to interpret it simultaneously - even though I was deaf... I can do this for very few films... maybe six or seven at most...

What confirmed my relationship with the musical, was when another friend, an actor in a summer stock theater company in the mountains, invited me to see her perform in a show ("Oklahoma"). One of their rituals was to have a pre show before the actual performance where random people would sing random songs (like previews to movies) and one of them was "Seasons of Love." Instead of watching her and her fellow cast members sing it, she dragged me onstage and announced to the audience that I would be guest-performing the song with them. I panicked, not trusting myself to be able to follow the song, as I hadn't been able to hear it correctly in the open - only through the safety of the dorm room and my iPod. But I put aside my doubts and trusted her word as she pushed me into place in the line on stage. "_Five hundred twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes_..."They sang while I signed the lyrics and I could see my mother crying... "_how do you measure, measure a year..."_ I thought about how long it took me to learn to hear the CD (two months and even now, two years later, I still get the same burst of adrenaline I receive when I realize I can follow so-and-so with whichever song), but what really hit me was when we came to the verse "_it's time to sing out..."_ I noted that hands were moving around. Thinking they were just gesturing, I paid no attention. But instinct told me to look, and so I did. To my left and right, the entire cast was signing in sync with me! "..._Remember the love_..." Almost unable to continue, I was so shocked that I stumbled on a sign but pulled myself together and for the first time, I felt that I belonged... and all communication barriers crashed down as we sang and signed the lyrics. It didn't matter if one was deaf or hearing, if one signed or spoke - or both. "_Seasons of love... seasons of love..."_

That concludes my first time and I'm determined to see the stage version, only that there is a roadblock - finding an interpreted show. "Interpreter who can do _La vie boheme_? Good luck finding one!" (If I can 'terp that song, then I'm sure there's somebody out there who can...) Through RENT, I have been exposed to many other acclaimed musicals (including Wicked), and remains one of the few musicals that I don't exactly need an interpreter for when I plug my cochlear implant into my video ipod. Granted, some songs are easier than others and some people harder to follow than others, but to this day, if someone sat down at a piano and punched out some notes, I can instantly recognize the opening to "Seasons of Love." (and for the record, theater folks are deaf-friendly, and most likely to know sign language, or at least willing to learn it and most likely to accept Deaf people into their circle.) Music speaks a universal language, either through visual or aural means. Bonus- the movie version was the first fully captioned movie I ever saw in my first 19 years of life. This is why I want to establish a program to certify interpreters in performance arts sign language, to expose more people to the magic of musical theater, and it's all thanks to RENT. "No day but today."

Many thanks.

By Scribbler86


	60. GreenMusicGirl10

I love this one as much as I love the others, particularly because it sounds a little like my own voice. I do everything a really crazed RENThead can, at least in my position, and I don't what people say because it's me and my musical and how I love it. Seeing it live or seeing the movie or only listening to one soundtrack or the other again and again and again...it's all the same. It's all love. And it's all us.

Read on, yee of RENThead Faith.

* * *

I'm not really a "love at first sight" kind of person. I know that many people are probably going to get mad at me for saying this, but I honestly can't remember the first time I witnessed something "Rent." I'm sure I heard commercials for the show when I was little or saw an ad for the movie, and, not knowing what it was, they just went right over my head like any other commercial or ad would have. 

The first time I can remember hearing about Rent was the Christmas of my seventh grade year. My Aunt had heard commercials for the movie (which was set to come out that February) and thought I might like it. She got me the OBC soundtrack for Christmas that year. Along with that, my other aunt got me a few pop and rock CDs and my uncle got me a bunch of music books. I said "Cool, a CD!" and I put it on a shelf with all my other CDs not even listening to it.

When the movie came out in February, my parents rented it and we all sat down and watched it. I remember liking it, but I think I fell asleep halfway through. I don't remember Angel's funeral at all. It was very much like just watching another movie. I figured out that when the people disappeared during Without You, it meant that they died, and other little things like that, but I didn't even realize that half the characters were gay or that two of them were drug addicts! It was just another movie. I liked it, I was relatively interested, and I felt all big and important that my parents had let me see Rent (although they hadn't explained to me what a drag queen was, and after seeing the movie Rent I was still in the dark, go figure). But I think I slept through the finale. I didn't listen to the lyrics or understand in my childish state all that they meant.

At some point later that February, I got bored, and I looked up on my shelf for something new to listen to. I saw my Rent CD and decided I'd put it in. I began listening to it while I played some video games (I wasn't giving it my full attention, I just wanted some background music) and got up to Christmas Bells before my parents called me down to diner. I remember going downstairs and telling my parents (who knew about the show, they were cool with me knowing about all that stuff, they just didn't feel like they needed to explain it to me themselves. :-/ ) what I thought. My first impression was truly (and I'm quoting my exact words here) "They curse a lot! And what's X and smack?" My parents (who I now realize were much cooler about all this stuff than most parents were, I didn't realize at the time how lucky I was) replied with "well, if you were in their situation, you would curse a lot too." Now note that I had only learned the F word and what a lesbian was a few months before this, so all this was new to me. Living in a rich suburban town will shelter you like that. A few days after this I was riding to dance class with my two friends and, not being spellbound and in love like I am now, but being interested enough in the music, I was talking about it. I remember actually saying to my mom and my friends "Yea, but I can't figure out if Angel is a boy or a girl! Because sometimes they say "he" and sometimes they say "she"!" I can only imagine now what my mom must have been thinking. I don't think I knew what a drag queen was at the time. Ah, how naïve.

I can't remember exactly when, but sometime over that summer, I got hooked. Not hooked quite like I am now. Not like the insane high I get whenever I hear the music, but slowly, ever so slowly, Rent began to define my life. It really was a process. I wish I could say that there was this one defining moment that I knew I was in love, but there wasn't. It just kind of happened and then one morning I woke up and I knew that I loved this musical.

I guess if I had to pick one moment, it would be the night that I watched the movie (only for my second time, although the count probably goes past 200 by now) with my four best friends. Two of them became Rentheads that night, as did I, while the other two didn't quite see what we three saw in the show. (note: if you see some similarities between this part of the story and DramaQueenMaureen's story it's because it was the same night). It began as just a normal sleepover. It was in the summer the week before my 8th grade year (and now I may say the best year of my life, partly because of Rent) began. We spent the day together and then we came home and I told the other four I had rented this really cool movie, Rent. I put it in and slowly I just fell into a trance. I remember I felt horribly guilty on this occasion because I didn't cry at Angel's funeral, although I was incredibly sad. By the end of the movie I could hear one of by best friends next to me bawling and we all just ran over and hugged and without saying one word, I knew the three of us got it. There was a connection between us and this show. I think that was the day that I started listening to the soundtrack nonstop.

My parents noticed my obsession quickly and that year for my birthday, they got me tickets to see Rent. Live. I was excited beyond belief. I remember my two friends and I had piled up numerous questions about the songs not in the movie and I was going to find the answers. I got into the city and was immediately taken in by the feeling that you get when you're in New York. I'm sure some of you know the feeling. And then I saw the theater. I had never heard about the wall or anything like that before, and I didn't actually write on it my first time (although I have on every occasion after that). By the time Rent (the song) had ended, I was immersed in the world of Rent. I don't think I clapped for any of the songs after that one, because I sincerely forgot I was watching a show. I thought I lived in Alphabet city. I cried during One Song Glory, squealed after I'll Cover You, and attempted to pay attention to everything during Christmas Bells (although I didn't get everything and now, even after four viewings I don't think I've seen everything that goes on during that number). During La Vie Boheme I wanted to get up and dance. I didn't say one word all through intermission. I just stared at the blank empty stage and watched the stage hands sweep the floor. My parents kept asking me if I liked it but I didn't reply because my mouth couldn't form words. When the show started again, I hadn't moved an inch. My eyes were still fixed on the stage where now the cast had come out to sing Seasons of Love. My eyes got teary during Without You, and by the time Justin Johnson (who I've seen all four times and he is amazing, just thought I'd throw that in there) began singing his solo in Contact, I was full on sobbing. All through I'll Cover You (Reprise) Collins was blurry. By the end of Finale B it can not be described how I felt, but any true Renthead knows exactly what I'm talking about.

Since then I've gotten hordes of Rent memorabilia, seen the show three more times (once with Adam and Anthony), written on the wall multiple times, been to the Life Café, seen the movie more times than I can count, seen the commentary at least thrice, seen the Jonathan Larson documentary at least thrice, read Anthony Rapp's book, made many great friends because of Rent (Ellen, Matt, Becky, Emma, etc. (the list goes on)), fit-in in places where I felt like I didn't belong because of the Rent connection, dressed up as Mark (don't ask, haha), memorized every word to the libretto, learned to play almost the entire score on the piano, sang Rent songs in talent shows and such, gotten two playbills signed, done (and won) the lottery twice, written many, many fan fictions, and just about anything and everything else a Renthead would do.

I want to write about every time that I've been sad or needed a little boost and I've put on the soundtrack and disappeared into the world of Rent or just taken one of the lines as the advice I needed but I couldn't even think to recall every single one of them. I guess the best one I've got is when I had a crazy day. My best friend and I had a huge fight and she wouldn't talk to me. My other friend had just been sobbing and was really upset and I was afraid of what she may do. I had had possibly the worst day ever, and I went home at like 10 O'clock at night and I put on the soundtrack, and all of a sudden, I felt better. I was home. Nothing but Rent could ever do that.

So that's my story. I'm sorry if it was dreadfully boring. I really wish I could say that I was depressed or suicidal and Rent saved me, or that my friend had just died and Rent was the only thing that kept me going. I wish I could say there was a moment that Rent changed my life or one line that described me perfectly. I wish I could say that there was one character that I could relate to beyond all else. I wish I could have the stories that all these other wonderful Rentheads have. But I can't, because I wasn't, and they didn't, and there isn't, and I don't. But Rent has changed my life. I'm not the same person I was at the beginning of 7th Grade, and Rent is a big part of that. And I'm glad. I'm a better person now thanks to Rent. All I know is that I love this show. And I'm going to be crazy sad when it's over.

Sometimes when I think about why I love Rent, I can't come up with a valid conclusion. Of course I love it, but why? Why more than any other show? Obviously there's something, but what? The music? The laughs? The message? But other shows have all that. Why this show? Why Rent? Maybe it came to me at just the time when I needed it most. It has all this publicity. The fandom, everything. I love all that, but even more I love to just watch the show like it's the first time I've ever seen it and fall in love all over again. Maybe that's it: love. Maybe I'll never know, but it's something. It's just... Rent. No words to describe what Rent means to me. It's helped me through times I thought I could never pass, through hardships I thought I could never overcome, and with every day, every song, it's still doing it. All the little things, just giving me those little words I can use to get me through the day when I need something more. Jonathan Larson, your work did not happen for nothing. It may be over, but it will not be forgotten. Rent is a living, breathing show. We will never outgrow what it's has given us, the story goes on forever. Every time someone listens to the soundtrack once more, Angel is alive again for 34 songs. Whenever a new kid picks up the movie at the store just for fun, they will be taken in by the same wonder that all of today's Rentheads were at our first viewing. And hey! Any time someone sees (or does!! o0o, any other actors excited?!) an amateur production of Rent, they will be spellbound just the same as those who saw the Original Broadway Cast were. Because it's the same show. It's the same message. They're the same lines and the same songs. And everyone loves exactly the same. As long as someone still loves, Rent will always be alive. 3

You give me faith in today and hope for tomorrow. I love you more than I could ever say. My musical is Rent. Thank you, Jonathan Larson. No Day But Today.

By Emily aka GreenMusicGirl10


	61. FelineMimiDavis76

Wow, we have atrifecta from 3 great authors. Lovely...and I was just thinking: I don't listen to RENT nonstop, and sometimes I don't listen to it for a whole day or two at a time. But if I didn't have it near or with me at all times, I might freak out. This made sense in my head when I was thinking it, but now it really doesn't so...here you go!

Note: the next post will be our 60TH ACCOUNT! Damn, you guys, you are AWESOME.

Note 2: I found an audio recording of Idina and Fredi singing TMOLM on YoiTube...and good goddamn, they are INCREDIBLE. Idina sounds totally different from the recording, so rock and roll and loud and incredibly powerful...and then Fredi comes in with that insane belting and that same incredible power...and they just sound so frigging amazing that it gave me chills to listen...search "Take Me Or Leave Me Live- Audio Only" on YouTube to find it, they are AMAZING!

* * *

What is RENT? Is it just another Broadway show? One that you can also see on a tour or maybe ever another country? The answer to those questions is and always will be no. Whenever I try to tell people this, they usually don't understand (unless they are also RENTheads). I'm getting ahead of myself though; let me go back to when I was about 12. 

I was with a few friends over the summer at summer music and one girl, who was a bit older than me, was talking about RENT and since I love musicals, I asked to hear some of it. I was instantly intrigued by the music; it wasn't like any other musical I had heard before. However, I neglected to read more into the musical.

Then during my seventh grade chorus concert we were given a new piece, a piece called Seasons of Love. This beautiful piece with its unforgettable chords was then stuck in my head everyday, even after the concert. The words were wonderful and I loved the message. I knew I had to learn more about RENT.

A few months later, over the summer, my friends and I got together and had a sleepover. We were listening to music when one of my friends's put on a song called Take Me or Leave Me. I loved it and not just because the fantastic voice of Idina Menzel (who I had recently become obsessed with because of Wicked) was singing, once again I loved the words and the message of this song.

So, we all decided to rent RENT, because I still had yet to see it, the same went for another friend of mine there. We popped in the DVD and it began. Seasons of Love began and I loved the simplicity of them just standing in a line and how it was matched with eight wonderful voices and gorgeous harmonies.

The song Rent then began and it was possible the most awesomely rebellious moment I had ever seen in a film. When they threw fire off the balconies, I didn't care that in real life it could kill someone, I was too amazed by how powerful and rock and roll the moment was. I also had a new crush on Adam Pascal, thinking he was "hot" from the moment I saw him.

The movie went on and the character of Benny was introduced. I didn't know too much about him except that he was married to Idina but after that song I loved him. His voice was wonderful and he found a way to make this very unlikable person charming.

Then One Song Glory happened and my heart broke for Roger. Adam Pascal's voice wowed me, he was amazing. The character or Mimi was then introduced and I loved her as well. She was so funny, and she didn't care what anyone else thought. She was fearless and someone I wanted to be like, even if she had some problems.

The movie went on and every character and every song captured me. Angel was beautiful, sweet and another person I wanted to be just like. Collins was funny, badass and just a great person. Plus, he and Angel were adorable. Maureen didn't give a damn what anyone thought and was just Maureen. Joanne, in her own way, was similar to Maureen and I loved the chemistry and banter between them. Mark was someone I would love to know; he was a great friend and was willing to sacrifice a lot for everyone else.

Out Tonight soon became one of my anthems, it made me love Mimi even more, she was fun, fearless and (pardon the pun) feline like. I'll Cover You was one of the most touching and sweet love songs I had ever heard. La Vie Boheme was one big party and I vowed at that very moment to jump on a table one day and sing it. Without You, was touching and heartbreaking as we watched Angel die right in front of us and everyone else's lives crumbling because of it. The movie ended and I was instantly touched by Angel's face appearing on the screen. My friend began to cry and I went over to hug her and felt a few tears appear in my eyes.

The movie touched my heart; it gave me hope, which I needed at the time. I wanted to know more about the show and its background.

My friend gave me the OBC soundtrack and it was amazing. I loved the songs that were, sadly, cut from the movie such as Christmas Bells, Tune Ups one through three, Voice Mails one through five, Happy New Year A&B and others. I would listen to the soundtrack daily, and take the movie out of the library and renew it for weeks, which did get me in trouble…but I didn't care. I bought Anthony Rapp's book and read it over and over. I bought the CDs that Adam, Idina and Anthony had made. I watched any movie featuring the OBC cast, movie cast or maybe someone who had just done the show.

Then, my two best friends and I went into the city to see the show by getting the lottery tickets. We got them and headed into the theater. The show was even more incredible then the movie and I cried even harder at it then I ever did any of the times I had watched movie. It was official; I was in love with a musical.

For the rest of the year I listened to the soundtrack everyday, talked about it with my friends who shared the love, and introduced people to it so they could have it in their lives. I memorized the movie, the libretto to the show, read Anthony' book a good 15 times, if not more and lived, and breathed RENT. It came to me when I had needed it most and that is something I will never forget. I don't like to admit this but I was a little lost when RENT came into my life and without it I don't know if I would have found my way.

The summer of 07 came and I learned Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp were returning and I knew I had to see the show again. I told my father how much I wanted to see it and he came through getting me the tickets for their first night back. My mother has told me she had never seen me smile for so long and the smile never left my face until the tragic moments of the show occurred.

To this day, I always remember the messages that RENT has taught me. When it seems like there is no hope, I remember what RENT taught me, what Angel taught me, what Jonathan Larson taught me. It isn't just a musical, not to me at least, and not to the rest of the RENTheads. It gave me hope on days when it seemed like nothing would ever be okay again. It's something that changed me forever; if I had never seen it or heard the music I know I wouldn't be the same person. RENT helped me grow and become stronger. I've made friends because of RENT, and my friendships with people I've known forever have grown because of RENT.

So, they can take RENT off Broadway if they must but they I just remember that there is No Day but Today and as long as RENT lives in my heart and the hearts of RENTheads everywhere, the magic lives.

By: Martha aka FelineMimiDavis76

(A/N: Oh if a good chunk of this sounds like DramaQueenMaureen or GreenMusicGirl10…it's because it's a similar experience and they are my friends)


	62. MaureenOliviaLockhart

Okiedoke. Small rant (READ THIS AFTER YOU READ THE FIC, NOT BEFORE) I also find people who are scared or disgusted by homosexuality simply because they don't understand it to be narrow-minded, self-righteous jerks most of the time. However, this is partly their faults and partly everyone else's fault, because everyone learns (or is never taught) everything by other people. Those who don't understand that homosexuals are the same as everyone else--the only core difference is who you are attracted to, and the rest is choice, not disease or mutation or anything beyond human nature--need to be taught understanding, and RENT does this so well. RENT shows how every kind of relationship, regardless of the sexes of those involved, comes down to love, which is something we all seem to forget much of the time. And the kissing part? Let me assure the homophobes out there: watching gays/lesbians kiss or talk or hold hands does not make you gay. Okay? Okay. (Sorry, had a problem with a person in my school about this a while ago)

Please read on to the rest of this beautiful account.

* * *

Picture this. An unbelievably pale, blonde guy dancing spastically on a table in a low-lighted restaurant. The New York City skyline. More dancing. Some song explaining how many minutes are in a year. That movie person poorly summarizing the movie in his magical, unique voice. 

That would be my first taste of Rent. The next day at school, I walked into my math class to find a group of girls singing part of Seasons Of Love over and over. With the wrong lyrics I might add. '525, 600 minutes. 525, 600 minutes that are so dear. 525, 600 minutes. That's how many minutes, are in a year." They also all had "525, 600" written on their hands. That was the newest trend for the next month or so. When I asked them why they always re-wrote it each day they told me "So we don't forget the number when we sing the song." Some one should have told them to write the whole song down since they could never get the words right.

(This next part is going to boring and probably off-topic a lot of the time.)

I planned on going to see the movie but by the time I had a chance to go it was already out of the theater. I didn't really think much of it so I continued on with my life. In orchestra we were playing a medley from Wicked. We listened to the cast recording of Defying Gravity and I was trying to figure out the characters. I thought that whoever sang Galinda's part had been the main character and that "Elphie" was an elf that helped her out during the musical. I laugh whenever I think about it. Well our director told us to find out more about the musical so we could add emotion when we played it. I looked it up and found out what was really going on. I researched the OBC and learned that Idina Menzel played Elphaba. I found her name to be interesting so I looked up more about her. I noticed that she was in Rent, which brought back my interest, and I wanted to see Rent. It was still too soon to be out on DVD so I bought the movie recording. I had the Movie Highlights CD. I remember going through the booklet from the CD and I was guessing which actors played each character. There were the actors' names and then the characters' names. They didn't line up so I tried to match them together. The one thing that confused me was that there were 4 girl character names and 4 boy character names but there were only 3 girl actor names and 5 boy actor names. Then I learned that Angel was really a guy. That confused me for months until I saw the movie.

I don't really remember the first time I actually watched the movie but I do remember that I watched it 3 times that day. I think I had trouble understanding parts of it. So then, I went out and got the OBC recording. That made things a lot clearer. That's when I knew that Rent would change my life forever. It really impacted my views and opinions. I never really thought about homosexuality before and the music of Rent really opened up my eyes. I was raised Catholic and I always went with what my mom believed. I started talking to my friends on what they thought about Rent and most of them found it disgusting. My one friend even tried to convince me that it was trying to tear me away from my religion. A form of the devil. Religion was never a major part of my life so I didn't really listen to anything people would tell me about that. I believe in God, end of story.

This is longer than I thought it would be. I never knew anyone gay growing up so seeing Rent was really the first time I saw gays and lesbians. To my surprise I wasn't affected negatively at all. I thought I would be surprised or something but I was perfectly comfortable watching guys kiss and girls kiss. It was just like watching any other 'straight romance'. I was totally fine with talking about it with my friends too. A few people had even asked me if I was gay since I had no problem talking about homosexuality. I told them that I was definitely straight but I had no problem with people being gay. Most people were grossed out with my opinion but I didn't care what they thought. I just thought of them as extremely close-minded people. The first gay person I ever met was my mom's boyfriend's nephew. At school there's only one person I know of who is gay and out. It sickens me that people avoid him. They're afraid that they'll get AIDS. Which is of course just stupid. Just yesterday my friend asked me possibly the dumbest question ever. He turned to me and asked "Is it okay for a straight girl to be friends with a lesbian?" I didn't even know what to say to that.

Okay, this is getting too long. I'll sum it up. I saw recordings of the play online long before I saw it on stage. I recently saw it in December. It was definitely one of the most amazing things I've seen. I was so lucky to have seen it while I was in New York. And now that it's closing I'm glad I tricked my mom into buying the tickets. She didn't really want to see it because she claims that I "over-play the music." Which we all know is impossible. I also saw it last week while it was on tour in Chicago. It was almost as amazing as seeing it at the Nederlander. No matter how many times I hear the music, whether it be on stage, in the movie, or even just on the CD, I'll always be affected by it. The words are so powerful. I don't think Jonathan Larson had any idea how much of an impact he would be in many people's lives. I really wish I could thank him for all that he did. Most people don't understand why Rent has impacted my life so much but they don't need to. I can't even imagine what I would be like today if Rent hadn't been introduced to me. Rent can do so much for you. I'm glad to say that because of Rent, I have been changed for the better.

By MaureenOliviaLockhart


	63. Elizabeth Odessky

I feel like crying AGAIN.I have been horribly sick for two days, missed two days of school (which means horrible makeup work), had a god-awful rehearsal in a production I hate...and then I come home and read this and feel so much better.

Part of the amazing message of RENT is the huge stress on acceptance. We shouldn't ignore or tolerate or look the other way: we need to accept that people are born the way they are, and hate or ignorance or even love shouldn't get to be causes to force a change in someone. But before we can all accept one another, we need to help each other accept ourselves. And RENT does that time and again. _Over and over and over til I get it right..._(ever seen "tick, tick...BOOM!"?)

Anyway, please read this glorious account and feel better yourselves.

P.S. Dyke-power, as my friend calls it, will help us rule the world someday. Wait and see.

* * *

_Five hundred twenty-five thousand / Six hundred minutes / Five hundred twenty-five thousand / Moments so dear / Five hundred twenty-five thousand / Six hundred minutes / How do you measure – measure a year?_

"Dammit, why won't this freaking commercial go away!"

It didn't even hit me at that time that RENT was the story that would change my life. It sounds cheesy, I know, and it's probably been said a thousand times over, but it's true.

I was a freshman in high school the year the RENT motion picture was released, but to fully express what RENT means to me I need to backtrack a bit.

I was born in Houston, Texas to a white, middle-class Christian family. Well, Christian in the most lax sense; my father was raised Jewish and my mother is a southern Baptist, while my little sisters and I were left to chose our own religion (despite being constantly cattle prodded towards Catholicism).

Through middle school I had worked my way up to earning a scholarship to attend an all girls' private catholic school. Just the idea of going to a new school scared me to death, but for it to be an all girls' school on top of that was practically unbearable.

At that point in time I didn't know who I was.

But I certainly knew who I wasn't. I wasn't the average teenie bopper girl; I played with the boys, won kendo championships, and occupied all my free time with reading every Star Wars novel I could get my hands on. I was that weird girl that was one of the guys.

Eventually, I made friends, and by the end of junior year I was actually pretty popular. But by then, another problem had come up.

For the most part, my family is liberal. It seems like every other political statement that comes out of my parent's mouths is "damn conservatives!" Despite their supposed tolerance, they've decided that there are three things in life I can't (or shouldn't) – a Republican, a stripper, or a lesbian.

So far, I am proud to report I'm neither a Republican nor a stripper. I've seemed to fail miserably in the case of their third decree, however.

In my little town outside of Houston, homosexuality is taboo. Everyone knows someone who is a gay or lesbian or their uncle's nephew's sister's best-friend's little sister's childhood playmate's brother is one, but its one of those things that is just brushed under the rug. Sure, they don't throw stones, but being at the rear end of what I like to call the Bible Belt, it's not really approved of.

And I'm too scared to tell anyone, even one of my best friends who is Bi, for fear that word would get back to my parents. I know that some people would call me a coward, but I'm just not at that place right now that I want to tell everyone.

My parents have the homosexual stereotype of southern America ingrained in their minds – gay men are ditsy and will do anything to get a straight man in bed with them, while lesbians are your average stereotypical dyke from male-written television shows – and I had partially swallowed it, too. For a while, I did my best to deny it to myself; I like men, not women, and I am most certainly not a lesbian.

I became really depressed. By senior year, those 'annoying' Seasons of Love commercials had been pushed to the back of my memory and buried and I still hadn't seen RENT. So one day, on a whim, I borrowed it from a friend at school.

Words cannot express how relieved I was when I first watched that film. It was like a switch had been flicked and all of a sudden I realized that it was okay to be me.

Most everyone has a RENT character that they can relate to. For me, that character is Joanne. Jonathan Larson, though that almost secondary character gave me the courage to accept myself. Through a lesbian lawyer, Mr. Larson showed me that you can be successful, find love, have an amazing job, and have awesome friends and still be a lesbian.

I saw RENT for the first time six moths ago. In that six months I have gone from hating myself and who I was to being at peace with the fact that I can't change who I am and I should live life to it's fullest because it _is_ borrowed time.

RENT gave me the means to say that I am who I am and that I'm not going to change anytime soon.

I have seen the movie dozens of times and seen the show on stage twice, but each time I see RENT it never ceases to amaze me how many people it has affected.

RENT really has changed lives and, no matter how cliché it may sound, I am forever grateful for how it has changed my own. RENT has taught me to accept who I am because, somewhere out there, there is someone who will take me for what I am.

As who I was meant to be.

By: Sarah aka Elizabeth Odessky


	64. RonsBabyJediBenchwarmerSavvy

Hey, everyone. Sorry to the author of this account and one other, I have been hella busy and haven't had time to post until now. This is a very funny account with some aspects (especially mentions of stupidity) that I relate to very well. Huzzah.

Guess what: I AM SEEING ANTHONY LIVE. He's going to be at Northeastern and I am going to see him and I will get my book signed and oh my god I just might go insane and jump on him and that would be sad but at least I could tell other people at the mental institution that I was committed for jumping on ANTHONY RAPP.

Yeah.

Plus I'm gonna see Avenue Q once or twice, and generally I am happy right now.

* * *

I'm a fairly smart person. I get good grades and I'm on honor roll. But there are times when I do extremely stupid things. A stroke is stupidity is exactly how Rent came into my life.

My obsession with Rent started in 6th grade. It was our end of school picnic and I had set our blanket on a comfy spot of grass. By a stroke of stupidity, I put our blanket on the wrong patch of grass. After my friends laughed at me, I set our blanket under a tree. There was another group of students under the tree as well. They had a boombox and they were listening to a weird song that said something about drinking gasoline and had a cool tango beat. I ran to the boombox and asked where the song was from. They looked at me like I had three heads.

"It's called Tango:Maureen from Rent." Those words would change my life, though I didn't know it. Later that day I put Seasons of Love and Tango:Maureen on my Ipod. That was it. Rent wouldn't really enter my life until later, by what else, a stroke of stupidity.

Fast forward to the summer of 8th grade. I was babysitting my cousin and stupidly forgot to bring a movie. I looked through my aunt's collection and saw Rent. It looked interesting and I knew a song or two so I pressed play. I was amazed. The music was fantastic, the cast:superb, the plot hit home. I went out and bought the DVD the next day. Rent soon became an obsession. I had to watch it at least once a week. Then in November my friend Meg said that her Girl Scout group was going to see Rent and if I wanted to come. By a stroke of stupidity I didn't. My grandmother said that she might be able to get me tickets so I told my friend no. Then my grandmother went to the hospital and the tickets were quickly forgotten. (My grandma's fine now though) So my chance to see Rent was over.

Now we're in March and I was talking to my friends about Rent. I decided that I was going to go and buy the tickets. The first time I tried I couldn't get the tickets. The second time, I wasn't really paying attention to where I was clicking and I got the tickets. We celebrated that we got fourth row, center orchestra when my dad noticed something weird. I had booked the tickets  
for March 9th at 7PM and today was March 9th and we had to two hours to get to the city. After yelling at me(and laughing) for my stupidity we raced to the train. We got into the the city at 6 and slowly I was getting excited. I walked in front of those hallowed doors and would've gotten on my knees, if my dad hadn't stopped me. I was touching everything in sight hoping that the original cast may have touched it. With a new Rent shirt and my Elsie cow I sat down to watch Rent.

I was speechless. Sure, there were a few things that I had complaints about but those silly,insignificent complaints paled in comparison to Rent. I cried from Without You til Angel's funeral. I laughed at Alexi Darling and melted at the cuteness of Angel and Collins in Christmas Bells. I danced during La Vie Boheme and mooed at Over The Moon. At the end, I looked to the ceiling and  
yelled:

"Thank You Jonathan Larson!" I got up and left the theater, forever changed.I had seen the amazingness that was Rent. All because of my many strokes of stupidity.

By RonsBabyJediBenchwarmerSavvy


	65. CourtneyPascal

Still happy. Still wonderful account.

* * *

Most people just assume that you can only be a true RENThead if you've seen the show, but that is certainly not the case. I live in middle Georgia, far too faraway from NYC to see RENT live, so I find different ways to have the experience.

I suppose what originally got me into wanting to see RENT was the amazing Idina Menzel. I fell in love with Wicked the moment I first listened to the soundtrack, and later became curious about the people who were actually singing. After a lot of research, I discovered that Idina had been in a play called "RENT". Sure, I'd heard people talking about it, but I'd never heard a song or seen anything from it.

Three months later, I was wandering our local Movie Gallery, trying to find a half-decent movie musical to spend my Friday night watching, when an actress's name and a brightly colored DVD case caught my eye. I bent down to the bottom shelf, and, without a moment's hesitation, rushed to the front counter and rented RENT. I fell in love all over again, from the moment the first chords of Seasons of Love came out of my television's speakers. I laughed and danced during La Vie Boheme, I sobbed when Angel died, and I stood up and clapped when the ending credits began rolling, then I grabbed the remote and started it over again.

I suppose I won't see it before it closes, but I will always feel a connection between myself and the amazing man who changed the future of musical theatre. Thank You, Jonathan Larson.

May the Holy Larson smile upon you.

By Courtney aka CourtneyPascal


	66. Gaurdian Angel

So sorry it's taken so long to update. Busy as usual, but guess what? This weekend, I saw Avenue Q _and_ ANTHONY. Avenue Q was wonderful, since I went with a few of my best friends and we somehow got tickets right up in the first row, next to the "orchestra" pit and right in the actors' faces. I chatted with the friendly merch people and had fun making eye contact and laughing with the actors.

Anthony was just amazing. He came to Northeastern (a college in Boston) and he sang and talked and did silly dances. I met some very cool peoples in the signing line and we hung out for a while. Then we got pictures with him and he was Anthony--very polite and somewhat detached, but you just got happy to be around him. Erin got him to put on her Mark Scarf: it was a moment of supreme triumph.

Anyway, read on to the loverly account below.�

* * *

I am RENT Head - A guardian Angel on and here is my first tie with the musical RENT:

I live in rural Texas. Too far away to see RENT live, but I guess that's why they made the movie. So that people who live in rural places far, far way from NYC can see the greatest musical on earth.

The only real reason I got into RENT was because of Wicked. That had Idina Menzel in it, and thus I wanted to see RENT.

It took me three months to convince my mom to let me see RENT. Now that I've seen it, I'm grateful.

RENT made me a more open minded person. It made me aware to AIDS, and gay rights, and it influenced my political views.

I get crap about it from people; I get called gay, and a lesbian with AIDS. But I just brush it off and think that they haven't seen RENT, so they don't know how much it changes people.

God Bless

By RENT Head - A Guardian Angel 


	67. ANNOUNCEMENT! READ!

Okay, hi guys. Here is my announcement. Soon, I shall be starting to compile everything I have to send to the Larsons. This is a whole lot of stuff, and once I started I can't add much. So here's the deal:

1) SEND STUFF IN! If you have a first time account, don't procrastinate, please write it and send it in! I have a few that I haven't been able to post yet because of email issues, but everything is going to get into the finished product, so if you want your work sent out, send send send!!

2) In addition to First Times, I think some "thank you"s are in order! Now I'm accepting everything: thank you notes, declarations of love, messages to the Larsons or the RENT community, messages to actors past and present, any expression of love for our show. So send them in please, and include your first names if you can! You don't have to give ANY personal info if you don't want to, and of course no last names. PLEASE DO NOT SEND IN FICS, I AM NOT SENDING SLASH OR FLUFF OUT!

3) If you want your submission included, email it to me…but you can include a note that you don't want it posted on the fic. I will compile it with the stuff to send to the Larsons, but I will not make it public on the Internet. I will not violate any promises of privacy or requests for confidentiality. We just want youe love to be included with the rest, and I hope you can do it. If not, just keep loving and read the fics and listen to the songs and RENT yourself into oblivion, cuz it's very fun.

That's all, guys. Thanks, everyone, you're all wonderful and amazing writers, and I appreciate all of this so much. Love to RENT and all my fellow RENTheads, and of course, with a need for the joy of cliché…

"VIVA LA VIE BOHEME!"


	68. Avenue B

Hey, everyone. I am busy as hell (I sound like Jesse, saying that again and again--see if you can catch the reference--but I actually am) but I am trying to post some accounts that I still have. I will get to the gmail ones soon (yay, tis working again) and hopefully on from there. The one below is one I loved when I read it but haven't found to be able to post it until now. So read on and enjoy!

* * *

Looking back, the reason I discovered RENT is a bit strange. I had heard of the musical in passing, knew it was one of the longest-running shows, but I just thought, Eh, it's just another musical. Big deal. As I got into musical theatre more, I began to listen to cast recordings, one of which was a burned copy of my cousin's Wicked album. One day, I was listening to it with a friend and mentioned that Idina Menzel, Elphaba, was married to Taye Diggs. He told me that, in RENT, she was Maureen and he was Benny.

I bought the album to listen, thinking I was just going to listen to it once or twice and then put it aside. As soon as the electric guitars of "Rent" began to blare, I knew this was a musical I didn't want to see - I literally needed to. I don't truly have a favorite song, but among the top few are "What You Own," "Rent," "Seasons of Love," "Another Day," and,?of course, "La Vie Boheme A & B." It was this Act One finale that, along with "Seasons of Love," instilled in me a drive and understanding unlike any other: You can be ill and still alive. You can be poor and still be loved. You can be unaccepted by society in general, but that means nothing in the long run.

Prior to becoming a RENThead, I was a bit prejudiced. Looking back, I feel guilty about it, but if RENT has taught me anything, it's that the past has happened, and if I can change my present, I can make up for it. The show has also taught me to never doubt or run away from love. Why do such a thing? Why shun something so pure and perfect, something that never discriminates?

RENT has inspired me in so many ways, and I am eternally grateful to Jonathan Larson and all involved with the production - Michael Greif; Tim Weil; Billy Aronson; Jim Nicola, Jeffrey Seller,?Kevin McCollum, Allan S. Gordon, and all at the New York?Theatre Workshop; the David Nederlander company; the Larson family; and the original, current, and all the actors and musicians in-between - for teaching me to love, hope, and create.

Thank you.

By Elyse aka Avenue B


	69. Lana

I don't know who the author of this is, but I wish I did, because it's hilarious and it's a lot like me and my friends (my friends and I; my grandmother is mentally scolding me). I am trying to post the ones from my previously broken email, but I NEED TO SLEEP, so this is the only one tonight. However, it's hilarious, so yeah.

* * *

It all started with a scarf.

When I was a freshman in high school, I bought this white and navy blue scarf to protect myself from the blistering California cold (not really; I just thought it looked cool ;P). One day, as I was walking through the halls to my next class, I waved to one of my friends, Sarah. She immediately went: "Hey, Mark!" and giggled like she had escaped from an asylum, or something. I just gave her a weird look and shrugged it off. At lunch, I asked her why she'd called me Mark, and she looked at me like _I _was the crazy one.

"You don't know?" she eyed me wearily. I shook my head, becoming more and more confused. Was there something wrong with my scarf?

"You know," she said, hoping I'd suddenly understand what she was hinting at. "Mark Cohen? He has a scarf _EXACTLY _like that!"

"Who's Mark Cohen?" I asked. "Is he the new kid in our biology class?"

She looked like she had lost faith in all of humanity. "He's from RENT. RENT! As in the musical."

My eyes were blank, and she nearly had a brain aneurysm. "RENT! THE MUSICAL! ON BROADWAY!"

"Uh..." I started, squinting, trying to remember anything about this supposed 'RENT'. Other than the fact is was what you pay your landlord every month. "Not ringing any bells. Sorry."

"Dude," she declared, putting her hand on my shoulder. The look on her face suggested that this was a life or death situation. "I'm coming over to your house after school, and we're watching my DVD. Got it?"

"Uh, sure," I said, wrinkling my nose at her. "So, who's in it?"

All expression faded from her face as she visibly paled. "Just...don't. Stop talking."

Later that day, Sarah came over to my house and shoved me onto my couch. She practically killed my DVD player trying to get the movie started. But once it did, we both fell into silence. At first I was bored; it was at a time in my life when I thought musicals were lame hey, the last musical I'd seen before RENT was High School Musical, so can you really blame me :), so I was just zoning out. But once Roger started singing 'One Song Glory', my attention was caught. When he sang the lyrics, "Time flies, time dies", I started tearing up. I felt so embarrassed, but Sarah was crying, too. Well, she cried at pretty much every song.

Watching "Out Tonight" was kind of awkward, but Mimi was probably my favorite character so far besides Mark, who's scarf was WAY cooler than mine ;), so it wasn't that bad. I was getting addicted to all of the songs; usually, in musicals, there's at least one or two songs that I can't stand. With RENT, that didn't happen.

Sarah started singing along when "La Vie Boheme" started up, and I thought she was completely insane for memorizing all the lyrics. I loved the song, though, and for the next few days, my teachers would give me weird looks as I sang, "MUSIC! Food of love emotion, mathematics, isolation, rhythm, power, feeling, harmony and heavy competition!"

Half way through the movie, I lent over and whispered, "Why does everyone hate Benny?"

Sarah almost slapped me. "'Cuz he's yuppie scum!"

"He let them squat there for FREE!"

"But now he's making them pay!"

"Dude, any landlord would make them pay. He's totally nice."

I guess she finally gave up on me, because we stopped arguing about Benny.

When Season of Love started up, I went "DUDE! I know that song!", and Sarah was like: "DUDE!" And then we started singing it, although I only knew half the lyrics.

I absolutely love RENT. It's such an amazing musical, and I'd recommend it to anyone. It made me laugh, cry, dance around, even sing which I am terrible at, by the way. And it's message was beautiful; no day but today.

I still have that scarf. And no, you can't have it. ;P

By Lana


	70. ickles10

I lied. This is beautiful and very lovely. Thank you for sending it.

* * *

I never saw the Rent the movie in theaters. I know, shocking. I really wanted to, because my sister had seen it and had absolutely loved it, but it just wasn't that important to me. I remember when she came home from seeing it the first time, I asked her how it was. She answered, "Sad." Why? I asked. Did anyone die? "Angel," she answered. Who's Angel? "The drag queen." Oh.

I didn't really care much. I've always like musicals, and I do love when I don't know what's going to happen at the end, but it just didn't matter much to me.

In eighth grade, about a month after the movie had come out in theaters, my mom said that we could see a musical on Broadway during vacation. I immediately voted for Wicked, but my sister told me that I would love Rent, and I consented.

By the time we were sitting down to the show, I had listened to the movie soundtrack a couple of times. I loved Seasons of Love (but I had already known the song before getting the soundtrack), and I thought that Rent (the song) was pretty cool, although I couldn't understand how they just _couldn't pay_ the rent. I really liked Light My Candle, but couldn't understand what the people were talking about...were they in the same place? They kept talking about the moonlight, so maybe they were outside on a date? But they had never met before. It just didn't make sense. I loved La Vie Boheme, although was a little shocked at the lyrics. I think that those were the only four songs that I'd listened to.

At the beginning of the show, I wasn't paying attention when Mark said his name. Which meant, yes, that I spent until Light My Candle not knowing which was Mark and which was Roger. I basically understood the plot, although there were a few things that I just didn't catch: Collins getting beat up, Angel and Collins telling each other that they both had AIDS (although I already knew that they did from my sister), who Maureen was exactly, and stuff like that.

During Rent (the song), I spent the entire time looking on stage for a drag queen because I wanted to know who Angel was. I couldn't find her though, so during You Okay Honey I was just confused.

By the end of the first act, I was loving it. My sister and our friend filled me in on the stuff that I'd missed during intermission, but I'd loved La Vie Bohome so much that it didn't matter.

I understood the second act a lot more. It's weird, my sister never told me how Angel died, but during Contact, I could tell that something awful was coming when Angel vanished. My heart was plummeting during Roger, Mimi, Maureen, and Joanne's "it's over's, so that even before Collins said it himself, I was basically in tears.

During I'll Cover You Reprise, I noticed that Mark was alone. It was right, I guessed, for them to not have just filled in Angel's stop as if he'd never been there, but it only made me feel worse about the whole thing. Why was Mark alone? Why couldn't Roger or Collins or _someone _just reach out to him?

At the end of Your Eyes, I think that my heart stopped. Honestly thinking that Mimi had died, I was ready to kill my sister. She had never told me that their were two deaths! Mimi _couldn't_ die, she just couldn't. I didn't breathe until she woke up.

The last note was probably one of the most amazing thing's I'd ever heard. When Angel ran back on, I almost died from emotional overload.

We came home from New York three days later, the same day the DVD came out. I watched the movie, but realized how much they'd changed: while much of the play was narrated by Mark, really giving the audience a feel for what AIDS was doing to him, even though he wasn't infected by it, the movie was more focused on Angel. I loved both characters, and I loved the very last shot of the movie, but it was still different.

Just a few days ago, I saw the play again. It was, without a doubt, the best performance I'd ever seen. And I realized that no movie can ever come close to what that musical does.

By Leah aka ickle-s-10


	71. Anonymous

I thought this one was absolutely amazing. It made me really happy and I laughed. Yay.

* * *

It all started with an evil plant.

Yes, I'm serious.

It was the summer of my fifth grade. My father and I had went to Blockbuster, and I couldn't find a movie. I asked my dad if he knew any funny movies, and was pointed in the direction of 'Little Shop of Horrors'.

I fell in love with Broadway.

I mean, I had been in the drama club. I had been attracted to Broadway before. But this was love.

I rapidly consumed show after show. But 'Little Shop' remained my favorite. One day, I was back at the same Blockbuster where this all started. I was with my mom, this time, and I asked if she knew any good musicals. She had heard 'Rent' was good, and suggested I try it out.

That night, my life changed.

I had been a girl with common, and prejudiced ideas, such as 'straight good, gay/lesbian bad'. I was in the gifted program, yet I felt so dumb.

By 'Rent', I had completely and irreversibly fallen in love with Mark.

By 'Today 4 U' I was wondering who the heck that girl was, and where the drummer had gone.

When I got to the life support meeting, my mouth fell open in shock.

'Another Day' was incredible. I was totally in love with the Roger/Mimi couple.

'I'll Cover You' changed my point of view about love

During Maureen's protest, I mooed.

At 'La Vie Boheme', I found myself wondering what the heck masturbation and dildos were. I also was even more smitten with Mark.

'Without You' was just touching. It just reached out and touched my heart.

When I got to Angel's death, I had learned several new curse words from previous songs to cry out as I watched one of my now favorite characters die. I cried, I think. I was too engrossed in the movie to realize my own tears.

During 'Goodbye Love', I wanted to shout aforementioned curse words at Roger. And when Collins sang his solo, I cried once more.

During 'What You Own', I growled at my mother for suggesting I come upstairs for dinner and shut the movie off. THE NERVE! I locked the door after that, destined to become a hermit with only a DVD of 'Rent' to keep me company.

And finally, the most touching of all, and my favorite song to this day, 'Finale B'. It was just... wow.

Of course, after I was done hugging my DVD, I realized I was hungry.

And then, I realized I was a RENThead.

I loved the movie- bought it and watched it religiously each night. If my dad would let me, I would gladly give up Catholicism and move on to Rentism (Panda: EEEEE!). And just last week, I brought my 'Rent' music book to school. Sure enough, one girl said, "Ew, that movie is gross! They're all gay, and have AIDS!" I just laughed in her face.

Why?

Because she didn't understand.

She didn't understand that I don't buy emotion, I rent it.

She didn't understand that there is no day but today.

And most importantly, she's never jumped over the moon.

By Anonymou


	72. xxmaybexemoxx

Another lovely one. Ah, sisters. Can't live with them, can't live without them...so just compromise and ship them off to Finland. That's what I always do.

* * *

I was only ten years old the first time I heard of RENT. My older sister was talking about going to see it, as she is a major RENThead too. Unfortunately, I was "too young" (as my parents called it) to go see the movie in theaters. We live in North Carolina, so I couldn't go see the play either.

About a year later, after I had turned eleven, my sister came home from college for a few days. We were going to hang out together like sisters do, so we decided to rent some movies. When we got to Blockbusters, my sister ran right to the New Releases and got RENT. I knew she wasn't going to let me see it, but I was excited anyways.

The next day I went to my friend's house. When I came home, I saw my sister sitting on the couch, watching a movie. They were singing a song on the movie and I thought the music was beautiful.

_Five-Hundred Twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes_

_Five-hundred twenty-five thousand moment so dear_

I sat on the chair in our living room and continued to watch the movie. My sister looked at me, but didn't tell me to get out. I knew I was hooked on the movie by the time La Vie Bohem rolled around. I cried when my sister said that Angel had died. And when the movie was over, I hit rewind and played it again and again and _again. _It was so good, I didn't want to stop watching it! I was singing along to "Light My Candle" by the third time I watched it.

Ever since then, I have been obsessed with RENT. I know almost everything there is to know about it, including the deeper meanings of it.

No Day but Today, guys!

By Anonymou


	73. Dreamer878

Wonderful, like all the others. THANK LARSON THAT IT IS FRIDAY, because I am this close to either collapsing or going all "The Shining" on my friends' asses. Not that I'll have much rest this weekend, with this god-awful show to deal with...but the great thing about horrible shit is that it ends. This ends, and therefore there's a light over at the Frankenstein place...ahem, I mean at the end of the tunnel.

Read on, comrades.

* * *

Let's get one thing straight about me.

I've ALWAYS been a musical fan. ALWAYS. Right from when I was little and obsessed with CATS and Joseph to now, when I am a huge RENThead.

So it came as a surprise to me that I had discovered RENT without even knowing it.

My school has house competitions every year. One of them involves music. As I sat it the audience, watching one of the houses perform songs from Disney, I had no idea that I was about to hear a song which would set me on a course of discovery and, eventually, change my life forever.

You guessed it, a rival house came on singing Seasons of Love.

I fell in love with the song immediately. I clapped quietly to the choruses and cheered when they had finished. My friends gave me odd looks. I claimed it was because my friend from when I was little was in that house. They didn't give it a second thought. I got away with it.

--

While I meant to look up Seasons of Love on Youtube, I never got round to it, so I forgot and carried on with my daily life.

That is, until Christmas that year.

I got a bumper musical 3 CD pack. And my new favourite song off it (and my mom's, and my sister's) was One Song Glory. I would drift around singing it until my friends got annoyed with politely telling me to be quiet, and just yelling 'SHUT UP' at me. Even then, I didn't stop.

I began to research RENT on a musical website, just to see what it was about. I got the basic gist of the plot, but didn't delve into detail.

I did look up One Song Glory on Youtube though, and that was fun.

--

My final straw before entering the RENT fandom for good was Awards Night at my Drama Group.

Me and my friends were sitting there waiting for it to begin, and I heard the familiar chords that began Seasons of Love. I knew I knew the song.

My friend lent over to me and whispered, "I love this song!"

I whispered back that I liked it as well, even though I had only heard it once.

When I got home that night, I was too tired to do anything, but I promised myself I would look up that song then next morning.

And you know what? I DID!

Upon discovery that it was from RENT, I fell off my chair. I'm just kidding, but I was shocked, as was my mom.

I started to listen to other RENT songs, including La Vie Boheme, No Day but Today and Take Me or Leave Me. I loved them all immediately.

I came to school singing Seasons of Love one day. All my friends went "Hey, isn't that from House Arts?" I gleefully shook my head and told them it was from a musical called RENT, putting them off the song immediately. (My friends are freaks. They hate musicals with a passion and I know they would just poke fun at RENT. Grrrr.)

I went RENT crazy. Using a voucher I got for Christmas, I bought both the Original Broadway Cast soundtrack and the movie. As soon as they arrived, the OBC soundtrack coming first, I sat down and listened to them….and listened to them….and so on and on and on between 5 and 10 times that day.

Then, when the movie came I watched it and loved it. The following day, the first thing I did was watch RENT. Then I screamed at my dad because he had interrupted me in the middle of the La Vie Boheme scene. Then I watched the end.

Finally, I watched it with my mom, the only other person in my family who would actually watch RENT and understand _and_ accept it. My brother and my dad are too close-minded and my sister is too little. We went on and watched the deleted scenes, agreeing that the second half of Goodbye Love shouldn't have been taken out AT ALL and that the alternate ending was much better coz it tied the beginning of the movie into the end. (Not that we didn't like the actual ending.)

I've never cried at any movie ever, but RENT brought me so close I couldn't believe it.

I loved all the characters as soon as I saw them. I long to be up on a stage and sing the songs, or at least in the audience. Unfortunately, this will never happen unless the tour comes to the UK. (Yeah, as if. Keep dreaming, Dreamer.)

RENT has taught me so much about life and love, it's unbelievable. It's taught me not to dream so much, but live for the moment, like it was your last. I will never ever forget the songs (at least I hope not) and its message will live on forever.

'Measure your life in love,' everyone.

By Drea AKA Dreamer878


	74. Kim

I am just now starting to feel very tired. And this is a story from an author's friend, and it is really great, and enjoy.

* * *

So, my friend Lauren told me about this Rent thing, so I thought what the hey? OK, so when I was little, my least favorite part of any movie was when the characters sang. I remember thinking...'Ok, I'm trying to watch a movie, can't you shut up for, like, ever?'

One day I began my life as a sophomore student. I walked into Drama class, and I was a nervous wreck. I didn't talk to anyone for, like, my first few days. Then, about a week later, a friend of mine, Beth, told me to read Twilight. I walked into Drama, and there Lauren was, reading Twilight. I asked her how it was, and that somehow turned into, like, one of my best friendships.

Lauren loves Rent, that was pretty much the first thing I learned about her. I remember seeing previews for it before and the only song I knew was Season's of Love. So, I decided to humor Lauren and watch it with her. As long as she watched one movie from my Joshua Jackson collection. I picked The Skulls, she liked it, YAY! Anyhoot, she watched Rent, and I remember my first thought of Angel...how dare she kill that dog!? But, eventually I forgave Angel, and learned to love her.

The thing I remember most about that evening is when Mimi is sick and dying and they are all crowded around as Roger sings, my dad called to say he was on his way to pick me up. While I was talking to him, Mimi woke up and my exact words when I hung up the phone and started paying attention to the movie were ''Oh my God, she's alive.''

So, I went home and got onto my computer, where Lauren and I began to chat. Then...I began downloading the songs that I liked from the movie. Then I started memorizing the songs from the movie. Then I made a CD with songs from the movie.

Now, I currently know all the words to Today for You, Tango:Maureen, Light my Candle, Goodbye Love, and Take Me or Leave Me. I'm still learning La Vie Boheme. Rent is currently on my wish list for my birthday.

At the end of day, do I regret watching Rent? No, because it's an incredible movie and has gotten me hooked on musicals. No matter what, though, I will always blame Lauren. It's her fault that I turned off D2: The Mighty Ducks to watch Rent.

I'm sorry Joshua Jackson.

I blame Lauren.

By Kim


	75. Muffy

HUZZAH! I AM NOW CAUGHT UP WITH ALL THE CURRENTLY UNPOSTED ACCOUNTS! GO ME!

So now I am going to bed. Good night.

* * *

About a week after RENT made it to the big screen, my aunt had offered to bring my cousin, me and my friend to the movies. We were planning on going to see Harry Potter before my cousin's friend classmate's brother said it would probably be too full and he was going with us. So we told him we would go see RENT instead, I tried to talk them out of it. I knew my sister had wanted to see it, and I didn't want to be yelled at. But I figured I could probably just not tell her.

The second I heard Mark start his little speech about shooting without a script, I pretty much knew I was hooked. Then just a matter of minutes later, I see a cute little guy bounce into the shot, and his ah-dorable little "You okay, honey?" it made me feel so special and I didn't even know who he was. An hour more into the movie I had forgotten all about the boy, I had only seen him once, I thought to myself. And there the sweet boy was, dying on a subway and the hospital. I figured out it was Angel, and Angel was the pretty girl during Today 4 U. Completely went over my head! This was the first time I had even heard of RENT, after all.

When Angel was shown during Without You at the end, I knew she was my favorite. I had never felt like I knew someone so well just from a movie before. But in a way, after the movie was done, it was as if they were my own little bohemian family.

I was ah-bviously addicted to RENT from then on. My aunt had also had a taxi come pick us up after. We three girls giggled in the back about how cool RENT was, how sad it was Angel died, and how my cousin had yelled out, "Hey! That's the black guy from Law and Order!". Operation: See the Best Musical Ever. Complete.

Before the it hit DVD, I had seen RENT 14 times in the movie theater. I made all of my AngelxCollins screennames and e-mail addresses to show my love for the most ah-dorable couple ever. Which brings me to the making of a Neopets account. I was looking through the message boards and saw one about Law and Order, the maker of the board, well, they had an Angel and Collins related name. Being the huge fan I was, I sent her an online message and started talking to her more over the internet. Then more on the phone.

Now this side story isn't pointless. Although it's about how RENT has made me so many wonderful friends, I found more. Shortly after finding this person, I fell in love, questioning my sexuality. RENT had opened me up to loving anyone, that gender doesn't matter, age, disease, sexuality, doesn't matter. We should all live life and love.

Now onto my first experience with RENT on stage. I had bought the original broadway cast CD, then I listened to the New York Theatre Workshop version, re-fell inlove with RENT. Then I learned the tour was going to Boston, not that far from where I lived. So ah-bviously, I wasn't going to miss it. I got to see Tracy McDowell being a total flirt in a very Maureen-fashion. Ano Okera being one of the sweetest Angel's you could imagine, and everyone else just made you believe you were there, experiencing heart-ache and friendship. I was tearing up seconds after it started.

I have to say RENT is one of the best things that could ever happen to me. It's made me learn so much about myself, and how to look past people having diseases and see them how they are. There are no amount of words I could use to truly describe what RENT is. It's just everything good in life.

Even with RENT closing, I won't let my dream of being Maureen in RENT be crushed. I know that a play with such a powerful message will live on forever. It doesn't matter if you go and see it 30 times, as long as you see it once and you live and thrive on the message, you've gotten the whole point of what RENT means.

Much love forever and always,

Muffy


	76. Sadie Mae

What is this thing called a weekday? And why haven't we abolished it?

Ah, well. Read the loverly account and enjoy.

* * *

The first time I'd heard about RENT was in 2005 when the movie was coming out.

I'd seen commercials for it and everything. About a month after it came out, my family went out to see it without me, because they felt I wouldn't understand. I was a pre-teen, so I couldn't exactly blame them for leaving me behind. However, that night when they left, I got on the internet and researched it like CRAZY! I had to know what this show was about. That night when my parents got home, suprisingly my sister was the only one that it really stuck with. My dad reffered to it as awful, and none of them could sing. (Don't get me wrong, he does like musicals, but I'd have to strongly disagree with his opinion.) My mom thought it was OK, but she's seen better. But my sister, who was about 19 at the time was in love with it.

Ever since that night, until it came out on ON DEMAND for my cable, I'd bugged my family about how much I wanted to see it and make an opinion myself. It finally came out on my ON DEMAND and I'd watched it and, even as a pre-teen, fell in love! I've always been very open minded, so that never bothered me. Infact, Angel was, and still is, my favorite character. While not the most exciting first experince, it was life changing for me.

Ever since then, my love for RENT has grown immensley. I had to share this amazing thing with a number of my friends. However, it didn't really impact any of them like me. Except for one person. My best friend! And spreading the word to even just one person and see them changed from this show, is really what matters. Anywho, I love the OBC! And I am very happy to say I'll be seeing RENT, not only in May, but next March in the '09 tour, and I couldn't be MORE excited.

By Sadie Mae


	77. Ebony Hedlund

Hokay guys. This is...maybe number 72 of all total entries. That's incredible. I am shooting for an even 100 before I have to send this in. I know it's a lot to expect, but I never imagined this would happen. If we don't get to 100, who the hell cares? Every single piece here is incredible and heartfelt and something to be treasured and praised. And I can't wait for other people to read it.

* * *

Well, I was randomly channel-surfing one night on New Year's Eve (no- I did NOT have anything better to do sadly) when I saw that RENT (the movie) would be on in a few minutes, at eleven. I'd heard of it before (I'm African but a lot of the American pop culture has filtered down to me over the years) and figured I should give it a shot. So I gave it a shot.

When I first heard 'Seasons of Love' I burst out laughing because I had finally figured out where that damn 'counting song' came from. But after my initial mirth, I really listened to the music. I got hooked. Like badly. I refused to countdown to 2007 with my parents because I was so into it! Every song was as good (and often better) than the last. I fell in love. There was just something about it. The characters, their love for each other, their stories.

To this day my passionate love affair with RENT continues. It changed my life! And to Jonathan Larson I will always be grateful.

By Ebony Hedlund


	78. flexa

Really great account, and inspiring too. I have hiccups and they suck. GRRR.

* * *

Everyone wants to be an actor at some point in their life. Admit it. Come on, you can do it. Don't say you've never played "movie star" in your living room, or begging for a part in your pre-school play. It's part of growing up; that longing to hop up on a stage and act.

Then, you get older. Cold, cruel reality sets in. It starts with your parents. They sit you down and tell you that most actors won't, and don't, become movie stars at all. Then you start. You begin wanting to be something more "exciting" like an astronaut, or a cowboy, or a sports player. Then your teachers tell you you have more potential than to act. You can be a doctor, a teacher, or a scientist. Then middle school. They sit you down and prepare you for high school, where college and your "future" becomes the top priority in life.

I was one of those kids who took the acting thing farther than most might. Up until the fourth grade, I was part of a theatre group every summer, and sometimes during the school year. Thats when the teacher stage began to hit.

I'm a smart kid. I'm not trying to show off here, but I get relatively good grades. Save for a few Bs in math, my report card are usually lined up with As. One day I just looked down at them and thought, "An actor? Why should I become an actor? I can be something more useful, like a scientist. I don't want to waste my intelligence on trying to act! I'm never going to do anything successful as an actor."

At that point, whenever someone asked me what I wanted to be, I'd stop saying "an actor" and start saying, "a pediatrician."

I'm also one to hold a grudge. If you pissed me off, there'd be a good chance that I'd ignore you for a few days, maybe even a week. The more I knew you, the longer I'd ward you off. My parents and little sister I'd ignore more often than my friends, although my friends got a share of the "grudge" dose every once in a while.

Yes, I was a yuppie scum.

I saw RENT for the first time on the August of 2007 on Broadway. There was nothing particularly eventful about my time in NYC before getting to the theater. My friend who was seeing RENT with me (it was her first time as well) accidentally told me who dies before we even got to the city (she heard from a friend). Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp were playing their roles, but I had no idea who they were, except I recognized Anthony Rapp from the movie commercials. I knew Jonathan Larson had written the piece, but I knew nothing about his death (I saw his name in the program under "Book, Music, and Lyrics by"). Eventually, the play started, and I was a bit distracted by the constant applause around me.

The first act I didn't really get anything out of, besides the fact that I loved the music. Most of it (save for "One Song Glory" and "Will I" and such) were all so hip and rocking and filled with energy. The other songs were sad, dark, but beautiful all the same. "One Song Glory" may have been the only song I truly connected with, but not in the sense that I do now. I was thinking to myself how I was trying to find my glory which, in that time, meant I didn't know whether I should become a doctor or a teacher. But by the time "Light My Candle" was over, I had completely forgotten about that and just settled back to watch Tamyra Gray and Adam Pascal.

I wasn't "struck by the beauty" of "Seasons of Love" at the start of the second act. Everyone in my school knew the song. I assume when it was first written and  
no one else had heard it, it must have been tearjerking. But to me, it was the song that I listened to on my iPod almost everyday.

When "Without You' came up, Jonathan Larson officially had my respect. Most musicals focus on one type of song (Les Miserables sad songs, Hairspray happy songs). Somehow, this man had put almost every emotion into this piece; you could be laughing one minute, then sobbing five minutes later. The thought that someone could possess that much talent is amazing to me.

When I'll Cover You Reprise was being sung, I had no thoughts. I was listening to the music with half my willpower, and crying with the other half. It wasn't until "Goodbye Love" was about half way through before I started thinking.

I was screaming in my head, not believing how unfair it was to have Collins and Angel be separated for good when they were the only two who, I felt at the time, truly deserved to belong together. I wanted to know why it wasn't Roger and Mimi, or Maureen and Joanne, the couples who always take their love for granted. I thought Angel's death would make it clear to them that they should stop their denial, and realize that their love is worth the struggles. And while Maureen and Joanne did that, I was furious at Roger and Mimi for not coming through.

Then my own little Angel (everyone has one) started talking in the back of my brain. "How do you explain what you do then? You always claim to love acting, but you're putting things that you have no passion for in front of it. You refuse to accept the fact that the acting life isn't perfect, and that you're going to have to fight to fulfill this dream. And you push away your family because of a few disagreements. Don't be yelling at these people for doing what you've been doing for four years!"

I was sitting there, drinking that in and thinking that Jonathan Larson must have known me. How else was I supposed to explain that this musical was speaking to me, telling me not to drift away from what I love, just because there are some struggles?

Finale B was just beautiful. Throughout the entire last half of the second act, I was tearing myself apart, telling myself how I was throwing away my passions for success. Goodbye Love gave me a question. Finale B Gave me the answer.

No Day But Today.

There's no time but the present to throw away grudges. Now is the best time to start chasing that acting life.

There's no day but today to start life anew.

These feelings didn't take me full force right away. It took a while to really grown on these feelings and to change. But there's one milestone that I don't think I'll ever forget.

Around seven months after my first experience with RENT, I was at this camp. We were supposed to go around and say a few things about ourselves. Things like our  
favorite color, our favorite animal, junk like that. One of the things was, "what do you want to be when you grow up?"

I listened as people said things like "doctor," "teacher," "dentist," and all those other careers I've been debating for the past few years. When they got to me, I didn't hesitate. For the first time in five years, I looked around the room and said, "I want to be an actor."

I never got to see the OBC cast on Broadway. I never got to go to a movie theater and watch the movie. I never got to go see RENT 10 with the reunion of the OBC cast. I see people who share stories about going to see the OBC or watching the movie or something, and I get upset.

But when I really think about it, I'm just glad that I was able to see RENT before it was too late for me. Before I see myself standing with my elite workers and my elite career watching my friends out live their lives as they want to. Before I let my friends and family slip away from me because I was too cold; too unwilling to move on. Before I was sucked into the hatred and coldness of this age that becomes more and more isolating forever.

Jonathan Larson, you've saved me. You've saved me, my life, the ones that I love, and my dreams. For that, and for writing this beautiful musical, I thank you.

By Lucia


	79. Danielle

Very funny, very good, very in need of editing-because-the-computer-inserts-random-figures-and-it-annoys-me.

Just sos all yall know what your Panda did last night, I had a flash of brilliance and decided to Wikipedia (in the space of 45 minutes and at 10:47pm) the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Black Christmas, When A Stranger Calls, Halloween, The Exorcist, Scream, and the Texas Tower killings. After doing so, I ran like the frigging wind upstairs, hid under my sheets, called my friend Julia, and stayed on the phone with her for about an hour in order to let Leatherface and Pazuzu know that I was still awake and they couldn't kill me yet. I literally had a pen handy for eye-stabbing, if it came to that.

A little information: Panda has the absolute lowest tolerance for horror movies in the history of the world. Panda reads plot synopsis' and she gets freaked out. Panda should never be allowed near Wikipedia again. Ever.

* * *

Well, the first time I had ever even heard about RENT was the summer before 5th grade. I was at this camp, and I heard the song Seasons of Love being sung by a group of girls, who were rehearsing for a talent show. (Yes, it was so bad it made my ears bleed) but I paid no attention to it.

The year went by, and it came for summer camp again. I had made some friends who were, in all fairness, the worst kind of RENTheads in the worst kind of way. They compared everything to RENT, books, t-shirts, people, animals. It was quite disturbing, actually. Then, came for the camp talent show. They all put together a little a capella version of Seasons of Love, which, let me tell you, was terrible (they didn't win). And, I feel I should add, about three other groups preformed RENT songs (2  
Seasons of Love and La Vie Boheme).

Anyway, the summer ended, and I pretty much had a whole synopsis of that damn musical trapped in my mind. School started, and for the school announcements, they played a small little tidbit of No Day But Today for cancer awareness month. Someone next to me said, "Ooh, that's from RENT!"

So, at that point, I really was prepared to rip apart anyone who even mentioned the freaking word ever again within a twenty mile radius of me. I expressed these feelings to my dear friend Ami (bless her soul) and she asked me if I had ever seen RENT, which, of course, I hadn't. So, after chewing me out for "knocking it before I tried it," she suggested, (after we go to her boyfriend's party) we go to her house and watch the thing. I had no choice but to oblige, for she was my ride home.

So, the party went by, some kid threw up on my shoes, my hair was an interesting shade of green, and I had mascara running down my cheeks. I was in no mood to watch a damn musical, because frankly, I wasn't the musical type. I saw Grease on ABC Family, and instantly grew a hatred for the entire genre, (No offense, John Travolta). But, she insisted it was "mad scene" whatever the hell that means. So, I got myself comfortable, put on my mad gangsta PJ's (Happy Bunny) and prepared to eat my body weight in chocolate until the entire thing was over.

Ami, the radical that she is, felt it necessary to die her hair blue while we were watching, so I had the strong scent of peroxide burning any brain cells that made it through my hippie faze (Yes, really), which does not make for good entertainment. She popped in that sucker and I was off into the wonderful world of previews. Why does the girl not fast forward, you ask? Because, Ami had the remote, and she was to busy smurfin' up her head, so I sat through previews for The Pink Panther and some sort of romantic comedy with Reese Witherspoon.

Then, finally, I heard the general melody to that dang song Seasons of Love, which alone made me want to go all Nazi on that TV's ass, but I refrained myself, for I am a lady. Albeit, a lady whose mental stabilities are questionable, but a lady none-the-less.

So, after some 5 seconds of pointless piano playing, four letters appeared onto a dark background, four words that would usually mean crap to me. I mentally rolled my eyes. How so very dramatic, I thought.

Then, a stage lit up a bunch of figures appeared, standing in a line, side to side. I half expected them to start doing the can-can, but they (fortunately) did not. Instead, the camera zoomed in, and they started singing. Again, I had grown a phobia of Seasons of Love, so I was none-too-excited to hear them singing it. Granted, it was better hearing it from professional singers then tone deaf monkeys, but still.

So, it got to the point where I was thinking, "This has got to be the most brainless shit I have ever seen," when a women, whom I coulda sworn I'd seen on some sort of CSI show, (Tracie Thomms? Thomas?) sang that solo part. I'm not going to say it moved me, or that it was like an epiphany, or it showed me the light, or it taught me the meaning of life or some shit like that. I'm not like that. I will say this; It was good.

And so began my journey into the wonderful world of RENT.

I got through RENT (the song) with very little interest; momentarily getting the idea the whole dang movie would be show tunes (not too fond of the song). I saw Collins get the poop beat outta him, saw Benny's shiny bald little head, rolling my eyes at Ami's little comments ("You think that's shaved or he' s an early bald-er?"). I heard learned of Mark's little lesbian issues ("Oh my God is he that bad?!") and heard the song You'll See Boys, which I have to say is one of my favorite songs of the movie.

I saw Angel (Bless his/her soul) help out poor Collins, which I later learned had a song in the original musical called You okay, Honey? which was taken out of the film, along with some other song, which is supposed to be very X-rated (What's is called? You know?(Panda: Contact, and we mourn it's loss along with that of You Okay, Honey?)) and I learned my poor Angel had AIDS ("That's mad depressing, yo.")

Listened to One Song Glory, which I know is a lot of you guys's favorites, but I have to say I didn't like it all that much, too boring, and I'm somewhat of a rocker chick, and most ballads bore me. Ami donated her famous words o' wisdom ("He's, like, really hot, don't you think?") and we moved on.

Light My candle was a little weird, like a little conversation in song ("God, Danielle, it's a freaking musical,") but I didn't like it, kinda lengthy for my taste.  
Then came the next day, and the cute little answering machine message (I think in the original it had a song too?) And me and Ami laughed some ("Oh my  
God he turned her!")

Then, Collins came with his bucket and Alcoholic beverages, talking of things such as MIT and Actual Reality, which my little twelve year old mind had trouble processing, so much so to the point where I took Ami's lap top and looked it up ("Actual Reality is the name of a movement towards simplicity, but  
that also embraces new technology.") And then, my darling Angel strut her sexy ass all up in there and did her thing, which, I admit, I was extremely confused. Again, twelve year old girl living in the borderline suburbs with a mom who explained sex as "fishies and eggs mixing together to ruin your life" so, I was a little out of date. I  
wondered why her voice was so deep and what the fudge she was actually talking about, (Not to worry, watched it this year and totally got it. Poor Evita.) but  
none-the-less, I liked her style.

Then, the first real introduction to the drama queen, Tango Maureen. I admit, I like this song. It's catchy, and gave me a quick lesson on the tango, (which me and Ami promptly demonstrated the following day at the mall) and I felt moments of disgust with Maureen for being such a--how to say this kindly--slut? Yeah, Imma go with slut. But, then I laughed it off with Mark's white boy dancin' ("Oh my God he's dancin' like a toothpick!")

After Mark's little lesbian adventure, he ventures off to the AIDS support group, and I hear this mucho-sad song about a guy who was about to die, but then Ami consoled me with Cookie's N' Cream ice cream, (useless Danielle fun fact of the day: Don't mess with her Cookies N' Cream if you wanna keep your knats).

Then, I saw Mimi struttin' her stuff on that pole, and "entertain" some New York businessmen, which I had a feeling their wives would be none-to happy about, and start them high notes, ("She sounds like she's howling!" "I think that's the point!") And start dancing in the street, which I find a tad weird that there coincidently was no cars driving in NEW YORK, and no one was freaked out by a girl singing in the middle of the dang street, but I digress.

I watch Roger be all hard-ass on her, start being all mean, then everyone, in perfect unison, with no prior rehearsal, sing along with her. (Only in New  
York!).

So, we wiz by Will I? and Santa Fe (Which I thought was kind of random, and had really no addition to the plot, but was darn catchy) Then we got down to I'll Cover You, which I, to be perfectly honest, hated, but loved the fact that two strait guys had the guts to kiss each other for our entertainment. Props to them.

Anywho, we get to Roger apologizing to Mimi, with Ami screaming in the backround and throwing random (breakable) objects at the TV ("Yeah, you better be sorry, you little pussy!")

Then, oh boy, we get to Over The Moon. At first, I thought she was gonna sing. She didn't. The noise dies down and she starts practically whispering. I really did expect the crowd to start booing, thinking, "What the hell is this crap?" but they didn't. They seemed to enjoy it. We got through that, slightly disturbed by the "I lowered myself beneath her swollen utter!" tidbit, watched the police get all Nazi on everyone, man handle Angel (They sure know how to treat a lady) and everyone clear out.

When it got time to La Vie Boheme, I really was kind of skeptical, because I still had no clue what was happening, just had a couple of catchy tunes in my head (which Ami continued to sing long after the actual song) and was wondering why this musical had no dancing when BAM! Mark get's his ass up on that table and dances like only a white boy can (CoughNotVeryWellCough) I will admit, I fell in friggin love with that song. It was so real, and Ami was screaming the whole time "Speak the truth, sista!" And, by the way, I had no clue what masturbation was, and Ami sure as hell did not wanna explain that one to me, so, I looked it up.

Scarred me for life.

Second act, Seasons of Love II, Pussy Galore, Sarah Silvermen, Proposal. Then Take Me Or Leave me starts playing, and I'm laughing the whole time. I loved that song and still occasionally hum it to myself during test. It took me a while to figure out they actually broke up, to which I was like, crying.

Then Mimi and Roger break up, then my darling Angel dies (sob) the beautiful reprive of I'll Cover You, which I was in full length tears, cause Angel was my favorite.

I'll save you the rest of the movie synopsis, but I'll tell you most of it was good, (again, not really a ballad type of person) We get to the finale, cry cry cry, happy happy happy. Done.

So, this was my first time seeing RENT, great musical, not too much dancing, plenty of fun Drag Queens, and the joys of inner city New York. If you haven't watched it, watch it now or I'll hunt you down and peel your skin off.

By Danielle and Ami (in spirit)


	80. echoechoecho

YAY UPDATE WOO PARTY

I went to a student production of the Breakfast Club at my friend's school today. It was amazing. My friend Danny was Vernon and possibly the funniest thing in the world, and my friend Christine was Allison and perfect for the role. It was all very cool. Yes.

* * *

I first encountered RENT when I was 14. A friend of mine sang Out Tonight for an audition, and then showed me the movie. For that reason I have also always had a preference to Rosario Dawson and Tracie Thoms rather than Daphne Rubin-Vega and Fredi Walker, though they all have individual styles which seem to all fit well.

From the very first chords of Seasons of Love, I was entranced. I have always loved musicals, and the music in RENT was so pure and strong, and so full of emotion. It always felt to me that the music didn't need all the fancy instruments and effects as others have done, just the wholesome voices of the wonderful actor and actresses were enough for me.

Just a bit about the songs that I love the most and why I love them:

Light My Candle: Mimi comes strutting in and Roger is just like a little lost puppy, he doesn't know what to do. It makes me smile, especially the end ("no…with my father.")

I'll Cover You: I love this little moment between Angel and Collins. It's so special and so full of joy.

La Vie Boheme: Again, this is so full of joy. The characters just seem to forget about everything else and just concentrate on having a good time together. It also looks awesome fun jumping on those tables.

Out Tonight: The first song I ever heard from RENT. I just think Rosario's voice has such a strong clear tone to it. It's gorgeous.

Without You: The sequence of footage playing with this song it so heartbreaking, with Mimi trying to quit drugs and the life support meetings fading. It's made me never want to try drugs.

Take Me or Leave Me: I just love Idina and Tracie's voices. They are so true and chocked full of emotion. I always wish Idina had more solos in this movie, I love her so much!

For the family of Jonathan Larson, I just want to say how thankful I am that RENT was created. It really has changed my outlook on life; I have adopted the philosophy of 'No Day but Today.'

RENT has taught me so much in the year I have been a RENThead. It has taught me that although Angel killed a dog and died, Collins smokes marijuana, Benny is hurting his friends, Roger is an ex-junkie, Mark is just watching all his friends die, Joanne is frustrated with Maureen, Maureen is finding it difficult to commit and Mimi is a stripper and junkie, that they are happy. Not because all these things don't matter, because they do. They are happy because they have each other.

RENT is very much the future. Do artists and bohemians still exist? Are drugs, poverty, bigotry, and homelessness still problems? Does rock music still exist? Is AIDS still killing people?

The answer to all these questions is yes. I am thankful for Jonathan Larson creating RENT so much because all these problems live on and the musical has opened my eyes to how much of this poverty is happening outside my front door.

I am so sad I will never get to see RENT on Broadway as I live in the UK. But I do watch the movie at least once a week.

Even though RENT may be closing, as long as us RENTheads keep going, the magic and the message of RENT will keep on spreading.

And to end this, all I can say is that RENT has truly changed my life. For that I am eternally grateful to the wonderful Jonathan Larson, and everyone who has portrayed any of the characters over the years.

By Yasmin aka echoechoecho


	81. TheoneandonlyKaorin

I just saw the Suffolk production of Hair. Good God, I think the first number alone gave me a seizure...

Lovely account below, please readeth.

* * *

I just watched it for the first time yesterday. I finally rented Rent (ooh, bad pun!) after years of people thinking I'm crazy for never having seen it. Well, I have now, and it is one of, if not the best move I've ever seen!

Actually, about a year ago, I caught the "Today 4 U" part on TV, but then my grandmother (who thinks homosexuals are abominations to the earth) walks in and says "What are you watching? Is that a man or a woman?" I turn it off because she's weird. One time I had a movie I was watching and I kept having to run my 3-yr old stepsister out of the room because the movie was rated R. My grandma asks why I'm running her out and I tell her that it's not appropriate for the little girl to watch, and she replies "then you shouldn't be watching it either!" (me: Wtf? I'm 16...)

Yeah, over here, especially at my house, homosexuality is baaad. Why? Uber-religion, that's why. So, I am now a RENThead, because I love the movie so much, the next dog I own is going to be named Angel, the next movie I buy will be RENT, the next song that I sing will be from it, and I will live my live like there's no day but today!

By TheoneandonlyKaorin


	82. DUE DATE

Okay, guys. I know I have been very AWOL as of late, but summer is upon us and that means many things…among them more writing time! But the worst thing about summer is how close it brings us to the final days of our beloved show.

Ergo, this is the final call. This summer, send in anything and everything that you can to contribute to this compilation of beautiful work for the Larsons. I am making a due date:

AUGUST 15, 2008 IS THE LAST DAY I WILL ACCEPT ENTRIES.

I really want everything anyone has to give, so please send your stuff in! Remember, I'm not just looking for first ties now. Memories, feelings, poems, anything (no fics please). For those authors who have tribute fics that I would like to include, I shall ask your permission vie PM. Thanks everyone…I can't believe it will be over soon. I want to do everything I can to make it live past that last moment.

By the way, the OBC will be performing at the Tonys this Sunday! Watch it. Seriously.

Viva la vie boheme.


	83. FloridaRENThead

Aaaaah, it feels nice to be updating again! When I got this, I was all happy inside...and it's really great to read, so it made me even happier.

I am going to see RENT for the very last time on July 1st this summer. It's going to be one of the hardest things I'll ever do: and despite how dramatic that sounds, I am going to be an emotional wreck, so I think I have an excuse. So I hope everyone gets a chance to see our wonderful, wonderful show before it closes.

And watch it tonight on the Tonys!

* * *

I happened upon Rent for the first time when I walked home from school this year on the last day. So Lizzi and me were walking around later that same afternoon and decided that we were going to the movies. We fell asleep in the back of her mom's truck and were too late to go catch the movie. So we walked around a bit and ended up playing dingdong ditch on some guy's house.

We were sitting on his, Patrick's, trampoline after being quiet for a while because we saw their car go by. We all started talking and Lizzi brought up the subject of Rent. I was thinking something along the lines of, 'We are out on a trampoline at like nine o'clock at night and they're talking about musicals.'

Now mind you I had never heard of this before. And I only knew it was a musical because they were singing some parts from it. So we went inside, Pat hooked up the movie and we sat down to watch it. They skipped through the first song, 'Seasons of Love', and I was a little upset but I didn't say anything. So the song 'Rent' comes on and I'm all like 'W00t! This is my kind of song!' And Lizzi and Patrick are jamming along with this song and I'm sitting back watching contently. Sort of. I love all the songs in between: Light My Candle, You'll See Boys, Over The Moon, and all the others I can't think of at four thirty in the morning.

Then just as we got to La Vie Boheme we had to go home. Much to my yesness, Lizzi had it too. So we watched it from there but La Vie Boheme was and is my favorite song. Especially because it has my favorite character, Mark, singing in a lot of it. He has a lot of, solos if you will, that I think show off his voice better. When we got to Angel's funeral, I was in tears. Lizzi looked at me and said, "Sad isn't it?" or something along those lines and…damn I was only 12.

But this movie has changed me, for the better and worse, so technically I'm still the same. Right? But just a few days ago my mom's friend Vicky brought me the movie for my thirteenth birthday, even though it was late, I was jumping up and down and I gave her a gigantic hug and said thank you and ran home squealing. And mind you: I. Don't. Squeal. So as you might have guessed this was and is so important to me. And I watched it over and over again about two days ago. And I'm a quick learner so by the first time I watched it, at Lizzi's, I already knew most of the songs. W00t!

Uhhmmm. I think I've gotten what I need to say out. Wait! I want to thank Jonathan Larson for writing the music and script to this musical. Because without him being who he was and is Rent might not have ever been and…Where would that leave us RENTheads? Nowhere that's right. I would also like to send a thanks out to PandaFire McMango for creating this thing and…lots of stuff. W00t! Well now I must be off and remember:

**Viva!! La Vie!! Boheme!! Wooooooo!!**

By Jennifer aka FloridaRENThead


	84. theXfactor11

Busy, busy day. And I come home to find a new post...it makes everything feel even better.

* * *

I was bored one day at my house and for Christmas my sister had gotten the RENT movie. She had watched it with my mom and said it was amazing.

Our mom had gone upstairs and my sister and I wanted to watch a movie. We popped in the RENT DVD and started watching it. It was so awesome! I totally fell in love with the plot, the characters , and the songs.

We had made it to Over the Moon when our mom, who disliked RENT a lot came downstairs. She started yelling at us about how it was inappropriate and we shouldn't watch it. We got so mad and started yelling about our mom up stairs. Then a couple days later we brought it to our dad's and watched it. I felt like a sucker because I was bawling my eyes out by the end. My dad kept on asking me what was wrong but I was crying so hard. And that's what started my obsession with RENT.

By Ashley aka theXfactor11


	85. AuroraBorealis14

Okay, to the author of this: I just reopened my Gmail account and I am so sorry I missed this when you first sent it. I'm really glad you resent it, thank you.

In other news, I saw my last RENT performance (again). Wonderful cast, porbably one of the best yet, and they were all so sweet to me after the show. Especially Rodney...god, he was awesome. But they were all wonderful (sniff). Anyways, read the lovely account and feel happy again.

* * *

My RENT Account

I saw RENT for the first time a few months back. I didn't know anything about it other than the fact it was about AIDS and had "Seasons of Love" in it. My friend forced me to borrow her copy of the DVD.

"This is something you have to see," she told me sternly.

I took it reluctantly, and promptly forgot about it, as my friend and I were actually busy with a musical ourselves at the time, and I had many other things going on as well. Several weeks later, when the our show was ending, I suddenly remembered I had the RENT DVD. I knew I had to watch it soon, so I could return it to my friend before I parted from her forever. So I found some time, and popped the disc into my computer.

I smiled at the familiar Seasons of Love beginning and sang along, but I became really engrossed as soon as the real opening number, Rent, began. My eyes were glued to screen from there all the way to the very end. I never react very strongly to movies or shows. I usually just sit there and watch motionlessly, then walk off when it's over, maybe discuss it a bit if I saw it with someone, and very quickly move on, almost forgetting what I saw. Not with RENT. Not at all. I laughed full-heartedly at all the funny parts. I sobbed so much at what happened to Angel and at the finale that my parents were very concerned as to what was wrong until they realized I was watching a movie. RENT became a reality in the 135 minutes it lasted, and the reality of it still hasn't ended.

The next day, I returned RENT to my friend with a full-hearted thank you. But even after I no longer had it, it stayed with me. I was always thinking about the characters, or the songs, or some part of the plot. I just couldn't get RENT out of my mind.

I haven't seen the stage production, though I really want to, and because it closes in September, I probably never will. But the meaning of RENT can come through any media you see it in. RENT is always going to be with me, to inspire me to not waste opportunity, to live each moment as your last, to forget regret. There's no day but today. And I'm going to use this day.

By Aurora, a.k.a AuroraBorealis14


	86. Chicagogirl15455

Yay! More accounts! I is very happy.

Reminder: 39 days until the deadline! Please kept your accounts ASAP. I will also start posting RENT tribute fics that I think should be included. If you want yours to be in the collection, let my know by PM.

The account below made me feel very happy: may it do the same for you.

* * *

Alright. The first time I ever even heard of RENT and the first time I saw it are two totally diffrent concepts. But I guess it first started when my family and I drove past a theater with a sign that said there was a showing of RENT there. My brother, Kevin, laughed and told me he wanted to see RENT. When I asked him why he told me it was because it was for gays and he thought he'd have a hoot watching it. I kept my mouth shut about the comment even though the way he said it was unspeakable.

At the time I was really shy and didn't want my brother to yell at me. The next time RENT came into my life was when a friend mentioned it in a conversation. (By that time I spoke up enough to actually be considered a friend, but was scared that if I spoke up too much, my 'friends' maybe wouldn't accept me.) I got the original Broadway soundtrack off of zune but never really listened to it. It was only when a friend wanted to do Seasons of Love for a talent show with me that I actually watched the movie.

I was absolutely entranced by it. I danced along to 'Today 4 U', Laughed at 'Tango: Maureen' and had to rewind 'La Vie Boheme' so I could listen to it again. But the most amazing thing happened at Angel's funeral. I cried along with Collins. I never cried, but I just couldn't stop the tears from coming because I felt their pain. I didn't know why though and that thought had scared me until I finally figured out why I had cared so much: it was so real. So many people die young leaving their lovers and friends behind.

That one thought made me cry even more. Then I remembered the last words of Finale B. No day but today. And slowly I started to live by that motto. I started to put down my fake front. My friends accepted me for who I really was and now I don't have to be afraid to be myself. I stopped living in fear and realized that I wasn't alone, that I shouldn't care what people think of me.

RENT truly changed me. It gave me the wake up call I needed to start living. And even when I feel alone or depressed, I just open my mouth and sing:

"Forget regret, Or life is your's to miss

No other road  
no other way  
no day but today."

By Cassie A.K.A Chicagogirl15455


	87. inluvwithRENT

Wonderful.

For those of you who have the "Jonathan Sings Larson" album, listen to it. For those of you who don't, get it. And for those of you who don't know what it is, cry. And then get it.

* * *

I am an actress so of course, musical theater is like my LIFE! But I had never seen RENT. All of my friends had and of course they loved it. Well, all except  
myself and the two that hadn't seen it. One who really wanted to but didn't have the time and another who just had no interest.

One day one of my RENThead friends announce that he was going to see RENT on Broadway.We were all sooo jealous! Especially me.

"You are sooo lucky!"I said. "I haven't even seen the movie!!"All my friends were shocked.

"You haven't? You HAVE to see it Elizabeth!" they said.

"I will, I will," I told them.

My friend LOVED RENT on Broadway and that just made me want to see RENT even more. So eventually after a lot of begging my parents took me out and bought me the special edition 2-disc DVD version of RENT. I was so excited that I watched it that very night.

Now before I tell you about my first time watching RENT let me explain something about myself. I go to a Catholic school and I have ever since Kindergarten. I used to be very close-minded as were many people I knew from school...Then RENT came along...but on with the story.

I absolutely loved RENT, even my first time!! I sang along with "Seasons of Love," a song I already knew well, I mean who didn't? I fell in love with Mimi during "Light My Candle". I hated Benny during everything he did. I smiled during "La Vie Boheme" which went on to be one of my favorite RENT and any songs. I was shocked when Maureen agreed to commit to Joanne and not that surprised by her actions in "Take Me Or Leave Me," though Idina Menzel is still my idol. I cried at Angel's funeral and during "I'll Cover You (Reprise)". I also shed tears during "Goodbye Love" when Roger left for Sante Fe. I was ecstatic when he returned. I cried so hard when I thought Mimi was dying and those tears turned to tears of joy when she woke back up.

I still love RENT so much and I'm a true RENThead. RENT has taught me so much and the lyrics from "Another Day" have truly become my life's motto.

"There Is No Future, There Is No Past I Live This Moment As My Last. There's Only Us, There's Only This. Forget Regret, Or Life Is Yours To Miss. No Other Road, No Other Way...No Day But Today."

I live by those words each and every day of my life.

Now me and my friends talk about RENT all the time, except for the one who hasn't seen it and still doesn't want to but we're working on her. Now we want to go to the Life Cafe to see the place where the amazing and wonderful Jonathan Larson wrote RENT, the fabulous musical that has become a huge part of our lives. We want to dance on tables and sing "La Vie Boheme" like in the movie scene.

RENT has truly changed my life. Without it I would not be the open-minded happy person I am today. As well as helping me open my mind, RENT has also become my  
haven. No matter what kind of mood I am in I can turn on RENT and it will cheer me up and make me smile. I truly wish Jonathan Larson was still alive so I can thank him for all he's given me. As it is I just want to thank his family instead.

I am a RENThead and proud because RENT really has changed my life!

By Elizabeth aka inluvwithRENT


	88. BakaRentHead

I really liked reading this; it made the day a little more bearable (it is HOT as FRIG here in MA). Hope you're all having a good summer. Remember, August 15!

* * *

Alright so I'll admit that at first was wasn't all that interested in RENT as a Broadway show because well, I live on the other side of the country. And I didn't fall for RENT when it came out in theaters because well it didn't seem all that interesting. (I know I have just spoken blasphemy and be prepared there will be  
more . . . I was naive.) And I don't really remember any of the commercials for the movie but I do remember hearing Seasons of Love (a lot). And I thought it was a pretty cool song.

So, naturally, I went and did some research on where it was from and that lead me to RENT. Now thought it pains me to admit it I was not impressed when I read the summery of the show. I was like ". . . alright so what? What's the big deal? They/re gay, they sing and they have AIDS. Why should I watch this?" (Now understand  
I am not a closed minded person, so I wasn't turned off by some of the characters being gays, or that they had AIDS, or any of the other reasons most close minded people don't like RENT. I blame my disinterest on the summery I read.) Anyway I wasn't completely disinterested but there wasn't enough of a spark to make me want to go and like look up everything there was to RENT.

So one day, long after the movie came out, I saw that it was going to be on TV and I was "Oh it's the movie to that one Musical." And for some reason, that I did not understand at the time and still don't, I got really excited when I heard it was going to be on TV. So I LITERALLY marked the day on my calender and started to look up stuff on RENT, not much but at least a better summary on it.

Then the big day came and I was already for it I sat down in front of the TV and as soon as it started could not be moved. I just fell in love with RENT. It's that simple. I loved practically everything: the songs, the characters, the messages. It was just so beautiful, I cried three time (Without You, Angel's funeral, and the Finale) And as soon as the credits started to roll I was like "Wow . . . why did I not want to see this movie when it came out? It's AMAZING!" And with that a new RENThead was born.

I am still in love with RENT and I try to practice many of the messages this great show has given us. The only thing to do is jump over the moon. Viva la vie Boheme! Take me for what I am. Forget regret, or life is your to miss. No day but today. And thank you Jonathan Larson for RENT.

By Jennifer aka BakaRentHead


	89. madAgirly37

Oh god, I am so happy to be getting accounts again, I cannot tell you. We are this close to 100, guys...I can't believe it. Thanks so much for doing this: it makes me feel so happy that we can give a gift like this to RENT.

I loved the below account: it's a great example of how RENT can change anyone's life. Every account is an example of that, and every one is another thank you to Jonathan, the only person who won't be able to read these and see how much he meant.

* * *

I don't think I was aware of it the first time I experience the pure joy of RENT. Some years ago, I was just searching around the web and came across the movie website (this was before it was released I believe) and became infatuated with the music that was playing. I listened to it for days but then lost interest. I had no idea what it was at that time or what it would hold for me in the future.

Then the movie was released (I didn't know it at the time). And one day my mom brought home the movie RENT. I made no connections whatsoever about the website music and the DVD sat on my shelf still wrapped in plastic for almost 2 years. Around this time in my life, I fell into a kind of depression. It was by far the worst time of my life. I didn't do anything, nothing made me feel better. My mind was a whirlwind of horrible situations and possibilities that could happen to me. I was sure to stay away from anything concerning death, suicide, etc.

A friend of mine flew into see me during the summer a couple years ago. By then I had developed a strong appreciation for theatre and just New York City in general. We decided to go see a show. She begged me to go see RENT. I still didn't know what it was about and her and my mom explained to me in the simplest way. They told me it was about people dying with AIDS. Ha, like I was going to see that, especially considering my fragile mindset at that point in time. I was adamant that I would not sit through the show and I refused to go. I suggested we see any other show but that one. Before I knew it, I was literally being dragged into the Nederlander. My friend all but chained me to the seat to make me stay. Throughout the beginning of the performance, I whispered for them to take me out, I had to leave. I remember the only time I shut up was when Roger sang One Song Glory because I thought the guy was cute. I think it was around Seasons of Love that I shut my mouth altogether. Yep, you better believe it, I became a RENThead.

The next day at the airport while dropping my friend off, I bought the soundtrack and didn't stop listening to it for a long time. About a year and a half ago, my school choir performed Seasons of Love and I was reminded yet again of this phenomenon. I then watched the movie. Now I had become a full-fledged RENThead. On went both the OBC recording and the movie soundtrack to the iPod. On came the weekends spent watching RENT time after time again. Soon I was the proud owner of not only both soundtracks and the movie but the "RENT bible" too.

So you can imagine how I, like so many others, freaked out when they announced RENT was closing. I got tickets to see the show one last time and many thanks go out to my father (and mother) for making it so special. I had one last brother living at the house and he was shipped to some friends' house for the weekend. My dad drove me into the city and we stayed at a really nice hotel. We had an extremely nice dinner then off to the show. It was an honor to be able to share this experience with my father who had never seen the show.

I was blessed with RENT during a difficult time in my life, and for that, I am grateful. It gave me the means to carry on with my life and I'm proud to say that because of RENT (among one other something), I lead a depression-free life. Do I sometimes slip into old habits? Sure, but all I have to do is think of RENT, my sweet escape, yet at the same time, my grip on reality. This is not only an account of my first RENT experience but a thank you to Jonathan Larson. A thank you to all the Larsons, the casts and crews of the show. They saved my life in a way no one thought possible. I live by the saying No Day But Today; what better way to live your life? Thank you Jonathan Larson, I am forever in your debt.

By madAgirly37


	90. The Trishster

Okay. I should not have listened to "All I Know" on Jonathan Sings Larson while I read this through. It made me cry. Any of these stories can do it, but when I got to the end I was sobbing. Damn me and my irrational sensitivty, I disgust myself.

Thank you so much, Jonathan.

* * *

I apologize to everyone in advance for the length. When it comes to RENT, once I get started, I simple cannot stop. :o)

When the one school I had attended all my life finally shut down in June of 2007, I found myself at a rather odd place. My friends and I would likely be separated. I would have to relocate to a completely different school, filled with teachers and staff that I would not recognize. I would have to become... "friends" with these strange, unfamiliar students who had likely been at their school for ages. For once in my life, I was forced to be a total outsider and to sweeten the deal, I was being thrown into a world full of people I didn't know.

Even worse, I was still reeling from moving out of a horrible living situation involving my sister and brother-in-law. And that had caused me to develop an eating disorder as a coping mechanism (though, admittedly, it began as a means of gaining attention). On top of this, I was trying in vain to sort out who were truly my friends and who weren't worth my time, so my head was in a constant state of confusion. My mind was never at peace; there was ALWAYS something to be thinking about.

June 26, 2007. School had been closed for about a day. There was a sense of definitiveness behind it this time, though. Knowing that it was truly gone – nothing more than a simple Christian church now – made my stomach turn. I'd been longing to get out of there ASAP, but now that it had departed from me, I was at a loss and, to be honest, just utterly stuck. Where would I go? How would I cope with the changes? Would there be change? Left with nowhere to go, I stayed floating on by, wondering every few minutes or so about my fate, my future as it were.

I remember just hanging out in my room that day. Mom had made me a grilled cheese sandwich, not because she was jumping to run to the kitchen and waste bread & cheese on me, but because she felt sorry. Sorry that on the same day I experienced great joy (I received an award for having the highest average in my 8th grade class), I also had to deal with an immense, despairing shock (rumor was that the school would be shut down due to money concerns). I welcomed the pity. Who was I to turn down special treatment?

I flicked through the channels on my TV, glancing with mild interest at the info bar along the bottom of the screen. A number of movies passed, as usual; I didn't give much attention to Starz and Encore because they rarely played anything I would have wanted to see. However, Starz presented something to me that piqued my curiosity. I read the info bar. "Rent," it said. I'd seen the title before, but usually skipped over it, thinking it some senseless load of crap. I never even bothered to read the information provided with the film. This time, though, I found myself pausing at the channel. The movie had long since ended, but as the credits finished up, my ears caught on to the lyrics of "Seasons of Love." Everybody knew that song and I was no exception. I wondered what that song and this movie had to have in common and set out to catch it later on in the day to find out.

Needless to say, it completely slipped my mind that I was planning on doing this, and when I remembered, I had only caught a glimpse of "La Vie Boheme" (which made little sense to me) before I moved on. Next time, I thought. And there was a next time indeed. But I didn't fare much better then either. From Light My Candle to La Vie Boheme, I watched, confused and lost, but captured by how strange a story it was. I can't say that I was by any means mystified by it, but something felt different. I needed to know more. I needed to see more. And so, from that day forth, my restless mind focused on a new goal: figuring out when RENT would be on TV again.

But fate was oh so very cruel to me. Again and again, the film found its way to my screen, but never from the beginning and I refused to watch the end for this very reason. Eventually, it just stopped coming on TV at all. Frustrated, I was forced to beg my mother to purchase the DVD for me. I couldn't understand why I was so frantic, so aggressive, but I needed to watch the movie, beginning to end, without interruption, with full understanding. I waned to immerse myself in the story because it was different. It was filled with everything my tiny Christian school disliked: homosexuals, erotic dancers, swearing, the mere mention of anything sexual, lesbians. It was the Cocktail of Sin and I'd be damned if I would let this tiny step towards rebellion slip away. I had trouble fitting in at school because my thoughts didn't match theirs. But RENT made me feel at ease. They were like me. They were outsiders, just like me.

Once the DVD was in my possession, it was all over. I fell in love with the characters, Mark and Roger right off the bat. Mimi made me want to dance, Collins made me laugh, Benny made me want to scream, and Angel made me realize that despite all the experiences I had endured, good people still existed. And whether I like to admit it or not, it was with a childlike innocence that I doubt I still possess that I finally came to terms with my views on lesbians; I deemed Maureen and Joanne the HOTTEST girls in the world.

I spent many years at that school just doing what I was told. I became known to everyone as the quiet, shy girl who easily achieved amazing grades. I hated people, being near them, talking to them. The friends I did have were mostly from when I was younger and more outspoken (which was a very small improvement over what I was in 8th grade). I would spend days and nights, angsting in my now-abandoned LiveJournal, wondering why people like Emily V. and Holly D. were so happy all the time. They had so many friends and were so popular and all I really wanted was that joy, that freedom. A close friend of mine had told me months before that what I was looking for might be love. And you know what? He was right. I was looking for love. Not necessarily romantically, but more from a friend. I'd never had it before and God, that's all I wanted. And RENT made me realize that I COULD have it. It was attainable. RENT is all about love because it IS love. To the highest extent of the word. And though I feel sadness and pain and grief and anger while watching the movie, at the heart of it all, I feel LOVE. I know it's there. It has to be.

Obsession swept over me quickly. The story was interesting and complex, the characters were beautiful and real, and the content made my head buzz, partially because it kept me wanting more and partly because I knew that my pastor would absolutely HATE it. A rebel? I thought I was turning into one. Pfft.

I thought my intense love for the movie would dissipate by August. It didn't. If anything, it intensified as I found myself begging my parents for money to see the Broadway show. It was eating away at me, knowing that another RENT experience was near and yet, so far.

October 6, I saw the matinee show with my mother for the first time. And I will be honest, I was not prepared for it. I knew of the many differences between play and movie, but I kept getting lost in the commotion on stage and had a difficult time getting into the story at all. Though I enjoyed it immensely (perhaps because I was within three feet of Anthony Rapp outside the stage door and he signed my Playbill), I couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed. I didn't feel the spark I felt when I saw the movie. I didn't get it. How could I not feel the spark from the very thing that allowed the movie to even exist?

After hearing the news that the show was ending its Broadway run (resulting in a day of me randomly bursting into tears and about a week of sulking about, looking wretched and pathetic), I knew I just HAD to see it again. I knew RENT was amazing and obviously, I had been taken aback the first time around. Now that I had gotten over the shock and made sense of everything, I knew I needed to return to get the full effect, to see RENT for what I knew it simply had to be. But Mom wasn't willing to dish out the flow I needed to see it again; she hadn't been fond of the play at all and made sure we knew she was a firm believer for the film. Dad wasn't in the best of health, nor did he have extra money to spend on me. I pushed and pushed, but got nothing in return. By the time Dad wound up in the hospital after my birthday in February, I simply gave up. But a ray of hope shined down on me after becoming friends with a kid in my Drama class. I had (unknowingly) introduced him to the RENT world and now, he was just as desperate to see the show before it left as I was. Thanks to he and his mother, we did end up seeing it on July 5.

It was the amazing show that I KNEW it was. I remember my hands shaking as I stared at the Playbill I held. I teared up during One Song Glory. I laughed at Mark and Joanne during the Tango:Maureen. Santa Fe made me smile to no end. Even Contact – of all the songs – brought a slight grin to my lips before I fell into the somber mood brought on by Angel's death. By I'll Cover You Reprise, I was trying to secretly wipe tears from my eyes, afraid that my friend or his mother might see. He did, of course, but it eventually got to the point where I simply didn't care. The emotions brought on by the actors and actresses on the stage in front of me left me without a care.

So, maybe the first time isn't always the best. I mean, "first is the worst, second is the best" might have some truth behind it. It did for me. Or, maybe, July 5 WAS my first time. I truly SAW RENT then when I found myself lost in the music, in the story, just like when I first watched the movie all the way through.

I hate to sound cliché, but I'm really not the same person anymore. The old me was so silent, so obedient. She resigned to all situations, confided in no one, believed in little. She was the ghost of a former anorexic and she had nowhere to go. But a simple movie that spoke the words "Measure your life in love" and "No day but today" threw that girl away and replaced her with someone who is just a little bit louder, a little less shy, a little more outspoken. The change, to many, was subtle and hardly noticeable, but to me... I couldn't help but take notice.

Thank you, Jonathan Larson.

By Trish AKA The Trishster


	91. Anna

This account is special to me because it's written by someone I know: one of my little sister's close friends. I've known her for a few years now and "babysat" her and her siblings (she has a younger brother and twin younger sisters, but Anna's been more of a companion than a babysitting charge). I'm in this account, and I'm honored to read the work of this extraordinary young girl and find out these things about her, including what she said about me. I don't really know what I'll say to her when I see her next, but I hope I'll be able to tell her that I'm so proud of her. She's a great person, and she's a true RENThead (she made a little cardboard shrine at one point--I really hope she never finds out I told someone this).

* * *

RENT had been creeping into my life for years before I recognized it. When I was six my grandfather, who drove me to school everyday, bought a tape called Broadway Kids: Back on Broadway to listen to in the car. It was my favorite and of course my favorite song on the tape was Seasons of Love. I listened to that one song, loved that one song for another five years before I even got curious about its origins. When I was eleven I began to realize that the songs were from musicals. So of course, Seasons of Love being my favorite song, I investigated it first. That was when the name 'RENT' first appeared. I asked my parents about it, teachers, friends, anyone who might know something.

I didn't have to look far; that summer one of my friends invited me to spend the weekend with her…and her sister - Esther. Esther is about two years older than me and I always admired her and so was happy to listen to her rants about this magical play. I didn't fully understand it but if she was so adamant about it, how could I go wrong? My enthusiasm to learn more was probably what compelled her to bring over the DVD – she used to baby sit for me when I was younger. We watched it, her explaining the parts that didn't make much sense at the time. I only got to La Vie Boheme before my parents came home and made us turn it off because it was so late. But the damage was done – I was in love.

It took me almost a year to discover the musical because I was so wrapped up in the movie, but the transition was fun; having something you love and wishing there was more…and then discovering that there is. Esther was –still is- a large influence on how I perceive RENT. My views on the characters, the plot, the actors, are mostly hers as well. It was lovely, having what I can only call a mentor, she taught me much of what I know today.

But RENT itself is just…well…wow. I get so caught up in the music: the way Mimi dances, or the spins Angel takes on some of the notes, little things – that I forget that it isn't real. But that's just it – it is real. This story, these people and their problems, it could have been possible, and in many ways it _is_ the story of so many. As I've grown older RENT has changed for me, it means different things, I begin to understand it differently, more fully. It grows on me…or perhaps I grow on it. I know it has changed the way I think, what I know about what I'm sad to say, is my parent's generation and the struggle with AIDS. Hell, until I learned about RENT I didn't know what AIDS was except that it was always spoken of with sadness. I didn't know what a drag queen was either, which just shows how sheltered I really am.

RENT, mostly the music is always a comfort no matter what I'm feeling. It justifies what I feel, and amplifies the emotion. It's always what I need. It's helped me with the little things: a bad day, an argument, and stupid kids. It helps, it just does. Another thing RENT has helped me with is sexuality. I don't know what I am, honestly, and that is okay.

When I was very little I knew that the prince always fell in love with the princess, but I also knew that Hannah who lived around the corner had two dads, and Molly and Coby had two moms. The idea fascinated me. When I was four I was walking with my mom when I announced, staring at a small blonde girl about my age, that I liked girls now. Then promptly started staring at the little boy across the street. When I was in kindergarten I was going to marry Adam, but from when I was six to eight I was going to marry my best friend Leah. My first kiss was from my friend Eva, who was trying to prove that it meant nothing if we kissed, but I think I liked it more than I should have. I've liked boys since them, but right now I have a serious crush on a girl. I'd say I was bisexual, but I have few fantasies about women, more about men. I'd say I was straight except that I think women are beautiful and sexy. I'd say I was a lesbian but we're back to the whole fantasies thing. RENT has helped me to have the courage to voice some of these feelings and become more comfortable in my own skin.

What can I say that hasn't been said already, if not by me than by others? RENT is amazing, I know it's changed me, though not as extremely as with some people. I know I love it, and I know I'll love it tomorrow. I know there are others who love it as much as I do. They are the family I haven't met yet. A family I don't know much about, but understand the same things I do. Thank you, Jon, thank you for my family and my life.

By Anna


	92. EschewingObfuscation

Saw Hellboy II today. "You can suck my ectoplasmic scharpstucker." Oh, YES.

I thought this account was beautiful. Very honest and true. I think of what someone who knew Jonathan might feel as they read these, and it makes me want to cry.

* * *

The first time I watched RENT, I'll openly admit, happened purely because I was bored on a long, dull, October Saturday. It was the movie. I ambushed a friend of mine and convinced her to lend me something to do before I fell down dead of boredom. The DVD I ended up with was to become a new obsession.

I really didn't know what to expect, because I'd never seen RENT and I didn't know any RENTheads. All I knew was that some of the characters had AIDS and from that I surmised it must be really severely depressing. To be perfectly honest, I spent almost the whole first half of my first viewing scanning the screen going, "Is he the one who has it? Is she the one who has it?" I nearly turned it into a terrible murder mystery.

I blame my total and complete ignorance on the fact that, when RENT debuted, I was about six or seven years old. I actually think I saw my very first Broadway show sometime that same year: The Sound of Music. My mother had to bribe me with a beanie baby to get me to agree to go at all.

At any rate, once I had it clear in my head who exactly had HIV, once my roommate had finished telling me repeatedly of her deep hatred for musicals, and once I'd realized that the random guy drumming on the street corner was the same person as the mysterious shorthaired girl on the box, I fell in love. I watched and rewatched the DVD so many times that by then end of the week I'd memorized all the songs (that's impressive for me; I'm remarkably unmusical). I watched it with the commentary. I watched all the special features. The only reason I didn't jump for joy at discovering the deleted scenes (especially Halloween and the rest of Goodbye Love) was out of concern for my laptop. I started reading fanfic and looking for fanart, giggling maniacally the whole time. It's a wonder my roommates didn't start avoiding me more.

I spread the love, too. One day I heard my next dorm neighbors listening to Seasons of Love and immediately threw my biology homework aside and sprinted over to their room, where they were singing and dancing. We spent the rest of the evening having a RENT singalong, dancing on the beds in lieu of tables and crowing "Mucho masturbation!" at the top of our lungs, even as our extremely strict, uptight, bitchy dorm parent walked by the open door, and frowned the deepest frown we'd ever seen. Needless to say, we all watched it again (and again) that weekend. I even painted my nails blue and kept them like that for months.

When Christmas finally came, I don't know what I was expecting. I'd hinted to my mother that I'd like to see the show on Broadway, but Christmas is usually so disappointing, once you're past the age of eight. I got the soundtrack from my best friend (who's called Metronome Maven on, and who I'd originally introduced to RENT over Thanksgiving break) and, to our shared shock and delight, we received tickets to go see RENT. We squeed for four days straight, from Christmas morning until eight PM, December 29th, when her dad dropped us off at the Nederlander, our iPods already blasting La Vie Boheme. He grumpily asked why we needed to go see it in the first place, seeing as we already knew all the music. Neither of us thought to dignify that with a response.

What we saw that night was spectacular. It wasn't quite what we had expected (a blonde Maureen? A British Roger?) and it was completely bittersweet, because we both knew we'd come into it so late in the game, but it was beautifully, perfectly, flawedly, RENT. At the intermission, we turned to each other, eyes like soup plates, and were completely incapable of doing anything but flailing wordlessly for a moment. After that very, very brief moment, of course, our highpitched ramblings flowed like the river Nile, until we were interrupted by the house lights flickering. We both bounced in our seats excitedly.

When I heard RENT was closing, I didn't believe it. It simply couldn't be true, because it wasn't fair. I'd wanted to go back, see more and different Marks and Joannes and Bennys and Angels. I'd wanted to at least get a t-shirt. I'd wanted to sit front and center and meet Anthony Rapp and feel worthy of calling myself a true RENThead, rather than one of the very last grains of sand to fall through the hourglass of RENT before it was empty. It wasn't fair: I'd only known about RENT for three quarters of year and I loved (love) it so fiercely and then, suddenly, poof, it was no more. A bit like Angel, I guess, living on in memory and in love: in the hope it finds in even the shittiest of situations.

What, other than RENT, could take a terrifying Spanish class, in which I'd just been faced with explaining that I don't know what I want to do with my life (and in my second language, no less) and have my classmates singing, laughing and dancing to Today 4 U in their seats after a ten minute powerpoint presentation about a famous Hispanic? What other thing do I (do we) have that makes it seem okay to want to be a writer, an artist, a dancer, whatever, despite the lack of salary? To make the edges of society not only seem acceptable but desirable? To the point that when I finally jokingly answered my Spanish teacher's question with "Vivire en una caja y escritare." It felt like a declaration setting me free from prison, rather than a death sentence. And I will keep writing, even if I'm poor and even if I freeze in the winter because it's what I love to do and what I would honestly do withmy life if I lived each moment as my last. Thank you, Jonathan Larson, for that. Thank you for characters that are honestly just trying to live their lives and be happy. Thank you for pointing out and recording the wonderful balance between beauty and ugliness in life. And thank you for our mantra: No Day but Today. I'll try to live by it.

By EschewingObfuscation


	93. Spoony

Hello. I just got back from camp, where I performed Over The Moon for the talent show (and it went smashingly), got home, read this awesome account and squeed over it...then I found emails from the Life Cafe and SiteForRent about the Finale B Rent videos and I started sobbing. I can't take it, being constantly reminded of what's going to happen. I love this show, I love it so much I can't express it...and it's going to end. I can't deal with it, I just can't...

Oh, what the hell is my problem, I will shut up and you need to READ THIS.

* * *

Being obsessed with musicals since I was five, of course I had heard of RENT. But it really didn't interest me until I went to a musical theatre summer school two years ago. The singing teacher asked us what musicals we wanted to do, and a girl I'd made friends with yelled out "RENT!" I asked her if it was good, and she sang a few bars of Seasons of Love. However, I argued that we should do Wicked or Little Shop of Horrors instead. Little Shop won, and time went on.

So about a year or so later, I was sitting, bored, in school assembly, when the class that was doing the assembly started singing Seasons of Love. The rest of the assembly glazed over me as I basked in the awesomeness of the song. When we got back to the form room, I asked my musical obsessed friend about RENT, who immediately started babbling about it, and so I asked to borrow the DVD.

That night I downloaded La Vie Boheme, and it sat on my iPod for a while, as I didn't listen to it all the way through. I quite liked Out Tonight though.

It took her about three months to actually bring it in, so when she did, I brought it straight home and sat at my computer to watch it. I smiled as the chords of Seasons of Love played. I liked Rent as well, but I was too busy getting into this new musical to fully appreciated. As my friend narrated some character points to me on MSN, Tango: Maureen started playing and immediately  
I was hooked. Pretty much, from then on I was fully immersed in 1989 New York for the rest of the film. I came into school the next day and forced everyone to listen to it. I liked RENT, it was a very good film. That was pretty much my impression.

But as the weeks went by and I gradually listened to the music again, slowly intertwining my collection with stuff from the Broadway show as well, I slowly became obsessed, the songs constantly playing in my head, being a bit in love with Mark, and randomly yelling "There will always be women in rubber flirting with me!" Yep, I was in love with this musical. It was up there with Wicked, Chicago, Hairspray and Blood Brothers for me, and I was glad I finally gave it a go. Only then did what I already knew sink in. RENT was closing. Before I even got a chance to see it.

So RENT didn't save my life. I haven't suffered any prejudices from it, and most people I know are pretty open minded. However, it has changed a bit of my life, told me to keep pursuing being an actress, (even if it means living in utter poverty and burning precious junk to keep warm!) opened my mind, and given me kickass advice:

A lot of people don't like who you are? Don't bother changing; you have some who love you for you.

Don't ever dwell on past mistakes to the point of insanity! Forget regret!

Don't waste precious time. No day but today.

If someone insults your lifestyle, just drive them away by dancing on a table.

Angry? Burn stuff, and throw it into the street.

Nothing attracts the ladies like a stripy scarf.

Thrive adrenaline and conflict? Flirt with women in rubber.

Life tends to revolve around a metal table. Embrace that.

And if all fails when engaging an audience, get them to moo, and they'll love you every time.

So they can go ahead and close RENT, but it'll never leave us really. Don't worry, as long as we have RENT in our minds, it's songs constantly replaying in our ears, and bruises on our arms from being hit by our friends from defying them when they said "You sing Take Me Or Leave Me once more!" then RENT will live on forever. Thanks Jonathan Larson. For everything you've done for everyone.

By Jupiter Spoon aka Spoony


	94. sweetdonalbain81507

Hi, guys. Only a few days until the deadline...get those accounts in!

I am doing one of those Finale B videos for the RENT contest, and I can't figure out what to do. Oh, god, I'm so screwed on that front...

Okay, watch me shut up and read the terrific account below.

* * *

Okay, so it all started at my high school talent show. I was singing a duet with one of my friends, with another friend doing the piano backing. After we finished, we had to hang around to see the other acts. This other girl, one that I had never really known well (and honestly, never really liked), was also singing; she sang "The Wizard and I" from _Wicked_. A few acts after her, two of my teachers sang "For Good", also from _Wicked_ together. I really liked both songs, and, from what I had heard of it, was intrigued by _Wicked_, so I went out and borrowed the recording from a friend.

I was kind of disappointed, to be honest. I thought that it was okay, but nothing to get so worked up about. Overall, it was pretty mediocre, in my opinion. The only thing that had really stood out to me was the main character, Elphaba. I had been bored by the character herself, but I adored the voice of the actress, a woman named Idina Menzel.

I looked her up and found out that her album, "Still I Can't Be Still", was...to put it bluntly...pretty much a flop. I also found out that she had starred in this huge, popular, Tony and Pulitzer winning musical...I am fairly certain that anyone who is reading this can figure out which show I mean, but I will say it anyway: RENT.

I had heard of RENT before, and I was not entirely sure that I was interested. From what I had heard, it was the story of a bunch of poor, gay people dying of AIDS. I had no idea how that concept had screamed "Broadway!" and was pretty sure that it did not appeal to me (of course, being as "Sweeney Todd" was, and still is, one of my favorite shows, and I am also a fan of "Little Shop of Horrors" I knew that I was not exactly the best judge for classic musical material). Wait, I also knew that two of the characters were named Roger and Mimi, and they were a couple. That knowledge turned me off the show even more. I mean, Roger and Mimi? How old were these people?

But I ended up deciding that I really had nothing to lose, so I borrowed the recording from the library. I was almost certain that I would hate it, and came really close to just not checking it out, or checking it out, leaving it on my desk for the full two weeks that I had it for, then returning it. After all, five voicemail messages? Two tune ups? Were those actually recordings of someone tuning a guitar? I told myself that that just doing nothing with it was a really stupid idea, so I swallowed my feeling that I would regret listening to the CD, popped it into my Walkman, lay on my bed, and listened. At first I flipped through the booklet, reading the synopsis and following along with the lyrics, then at some point between "One Song Glory" and  
"Today 4 U" I just lay there, completely awestruck, and listened.

That day (I admit that I am not sure of the exact date, but it was late March), I did not laugh, cry, or even smile. I was utterly mesmerized by the music. It was not until a few days later, when I was singing along with "Goodbye Love", that I finally shed a tear. It seemed that every day, I loved this bizarre, flawed, slightly silly, occasionally sentimental, wonderful show even more.

I almost cried when I had to return it to the library, but I knew that I would get my RENT back soon. As I already said, this all took place in late March and my birthday is in early April. My aunt and uncle never have any idea what to get me, so I buy myself something that I really want and they pay me for it. Can anyone not figure out what I...um..."got" from them that  
year?

By sweetdonalbain81507


	95. HarryPotterRENTHead Thank You Letter

Hi, guys. This author already posted an account, but this letter is different and screw it, I'm putting it up anyway. It is really lovely and sweet, read it.

Now I am off to make RENT videos before I leave until the 9th tomorrow. SEND STUFF IN. POR FAVOR, S'IL VOUS PLAIT, ALL THAT.

* * *

Dear Larson family and friends,

Hi. I've never written anything like this before. I don't really know how or where to start or even what to say. I guess the most appropriate thing I can come up with is Thank You. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you for everything you have done to help allow the world to see Jonathan's work for what it is: a masterpiece of love, loss, and life. Most people solely thank Jonathan for RENT but I think a big thank you goes to you. Without you, Jonathan never would have been able to write RENT. It is so rich with love, it's impossible to think that there wasn't a good, strong supply of it behind the author and his work. Without you, we may have never even seen the magic of what he created. Everyone in his life inspired him and if you were not there, RENT would not be the way it is today. Even after he died, you had to option of halting production. You didn't and I, as well as thousands of other people, am forever grateful for this decision. RENT has changed my life. I thank you a million times over for this gift in the form of a musical. Even though RENT is closing on Broadway, I think Jonathan would have been so proud to see RENT's success and how many lives he's changed and touched. RENT's message is out there and it will always live on in the hearts of those it has touched. And at the end of the day, that's all that really matters.

Thank you,

Alison (HarryPotterRENThead)

Age 16

Toronto, Ontario


	96. Bellatrix5982

Red Sox and the friggin 12 inning games. Oh, well. I am tired. This account is awesome. Life is irritating.

* * *

I love RENT. First time I heard of it my friend was singing Seasons of Love.

"Hey I've heard that song before."

"You saw RENT?" she was amazed

"No, I've just heard that song before."

"Oh okay."

"What is RENT?"

My friend smiled so big I was sure she would've broken her jaw.

"It's about eight friends, except one isn't their friend anymore..." and so on and so on. She told me the whole story; every little detail. And I was ten, so my brain nearly exploded.

"Sounds cool." I paused. "But I've never been to a real musical." I had gone to school productions at the high school but never a real theatre.

"Hey, take this." She handed me the CD (we were on the bus). "Listen; learn; love; live."

"Thank you, Yoda," I said, and went home.

I listened to the music and immediatley fell in love with it. La Vie Boheme, Seasons of Love, Take Me or Leave Me, and Finale B. They were ALL my favorites. I finally convinced my parents to rent the movie and we all sat down and watched it. Even my dad (total homophobe and antimusical) watched it.

"That was so freakin awsome!"

"Watch your language young lady."

"Fine. It was still awesome."

THE NEXT DAY AT SCHOOL

"Amber!"

"What?"

"I love you. You are so awsome."

"I know," she said.

"RENT was so freakin awsome. You have inspired me. Let me sing." I opened my mouth but she pout her hand over it.

"Not here."

"Oh yeah. Maureen was awsome. I love her."

"Charisma?"

"Hyperness."

"Yeah, she would be your favorite character."

SO FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE I WAS OBSESSED WITH RENT.

"MOM!"

"What?"

"We have to see WICKED." I show her the TV screen.

"It does look good." They show a clip of Defying Gravity.

"Oh My god." I pressed my face to the screen "Oh my god Oh my God oh my god." I started screaming.

"What has gotten into you?"

"Mom, do you KNOW who that is?"

"No." She was confused.

"That's IDINA MENZEL from RENT. She's in WICKED. We MUST see it."

So after begging my mother, I saw WICKED (the OBC). How freakin lucky am I? So Seasons of Love became RENT which became Idina Menzel which became Wicked which became the rest of my life. I know I was rambling, but RENT has played such a big part in my life; it inspired me so much more.

By Bellatrix5982


	97. ickles10 Thank You Letter

Well, do not read this and listen to Jonathan's music at the same time, because the odds are that you might cry; I sure as hell did. Work like this shows me how important it is for me to send this to the Larsons, because no matter who reads this and how much they read, these stories need to be out in the world. They need to reach as many people as possible, because the ways that RENT has touched us all is as big a part of the show as we are. RENT deserves this. It deserves everything we can give it.

Now I am shutting up and posting. But not without reminding: 10 DAY DEADLINE! SEND 'EM IN!!

* * *

I already have a chapter up here, number 70. But I'm posting again because after reading so many more first-time experiences with Rent, I realized that I didn't nearly do mine justice. Or, rather, I did my first time justice, but I didn't say how Rent changed me. And it did. Oh God it did. And especially since this is now all going to be sent to Mr. and Mrs. Larson, I figured that I might as well let them know what it did to my life. I am not going to recap here on how I first heard about Rent/when I saw it, etc. Again, just go to chapter 70.

In eighth grade, at the end of February, school started again after a week vacation. In that week, I had seen Rent on Broadway, and then watched the movie four times. (The first can be read about in my previous post, and the second was watching it with commentary, so I don't really think that needs recap).

When I watched it the third time, I was at my older sister's friend's house. I was 13. They were all 15 or 16. All I remember was that it was a wonderful crowd to watch it with. They were all cool high schoolers who were incredibly liberal and loved musicals. And it was just an all around good time.

When I watched it the fourth time, it was with my three best friends in my grade. I had had them all over for a sleepover. I couldn't have been more excited to show it to them. I tried to give a plot synopsis before hand but I just couldn't. All I could say was, "Just wait and see. It's amazing. You're going to love it." One of my friends fell asleep halfway through. Another laughed when Mimi woke up at the end because she thought it was so unrealistic. The last looked at the DVD cover and said, "Oh ew two girls hugging I can't deal with this." She ended I'll Cover You with another "EWWWW TWO GUYS KISSING."

Afterwards, she told me that she didn't like the movie. I told her that meant she was homophobic. She told me that she wasn't necessarily homophobic, but that God had created man and woman to be together and that's why we have different parts. I told her that I wasn't going to argue with her because she was entitled to her own opinion. Then I think I told my mom the whole story basically in tears. She told me that I'd done the right thing, that there would have been no use in arguing.

Believe me, had that happened a few weeks later, I would have argued.

Going back to school, I was telling everybody about Rent. And I mean everybody. I got mixed responses. Some were "Oh, you're so lucky you got to see the show!" Or "Oh yeah, I saw that movie, good stuff." But from most people I talked to, it was different. "Wait, isn't like everyone gay in that movie? And they have AIDS? And they're singing? God, that's stupid." I would reply, "It's not just JUST a movie, it's a show, an AMAZING show, and four of them aren't straight but only ONE is gay, and then one is a lesbian and one of them is bi and one of them's transsexual, and only four of them have AIDS, and they sing because it's a MUSICAL but it's not about dying it's about LIFE."

I began to hate everyone. Not an exaggeration. I had a livejournal by June of that year and I would post a few times a week about how stupid and homophobic my friends were and how all they said was "haha, that's so gay" and how they were so immature and how I couldn't even talk about two guys kissing without feeling like an alien and how I just HATED them. I hated every single person that had ever said anything slightly remotely bad about anyone who was gay. I grouped all of my friends together in a huge homophobic category and I couldn't stand them.

But it wasn't just livejournal. Oh no. I had fanfiction. Or, rather, God's gift to Rentheads. I was beyond obsessed. I had to spend at least an hour on the site a day. I read and reviewed and wrote and made friends who all seemed just like me. I hardly made plans with anyone that summer; I just sat at the computer and read Rent fanfiction and angsted on my livejournal to other people who wrote Rent fanfics.

Now, I know what you're thinking. Where is she going with all of this? It sounds like Rent ruined her life. It turned her into this emo kid who hated everyone and ruined her eyes from staring at the computer.

Actually, it didn't ruin my eyes, but I did get tendanitis or something in my thumbs for about a week and couldn't type. It was bad.

But that is not the point. I love Rent to death. Rent showed fanfiction to me, and now I love to write. Yes, about twice a year it's still the occasional fanfic, but it's so much more than that now. I write poems and essays and satires and short stories. I even did a program at a college this summer where I got to spend two weeks writing short stories and sharing them with other people. And I love writing, because it keeps me sane and most people tell me I'm pretty good at that.

And even livejournal, that awful site that I wasted a good half of freshman year on, turned out to help me a little bit too. It made me think. Yes, it started off as an angst journal, but the angst actually helped. The more I wrote in there the more I learned about myself; I started questioning religion and my real friends and, by even re-reading posts that I had written when I was furious, I learned not to be so hypercritical.

As to my homophobic friends...I think, that somewhere along the line, we all just grew up. Yes, there are some that I simply can never get along with, but for most of the others...well, we changed. All of us. High school hit, and yeah, there were actually two girls holding hands in the hallway. And they learned to deal. But besides that, I learned to grow up. I can't judge people based on whether or not they like a musical. Because quite honestly, Rent preaches love and acceptance. A lot of my friends are the way they are because of their parents. My friend that specifically told me that "God created man and woman to be together" said to me a year later that she'd been begging her mom to let her buy the Rent DVD, but her mom won't let her. "It has the wrong message," apparently.

Beyond all that, I still love Rent. I will always love Rent. I saw the show again last March, and it was spectacular. I actually didn't listen to my obc soundtrack for months afterward because I didn't want to lose the sound of the voices of the people that I had just seen. But in June, I did listen. Then I listened to it three more times in that week. And everytime, when it ended, I felt that pit in my stomach that made me want to cry out of how much I loved it.

So thank you.

By Leah aka ickle-s-10


	98. Shina

It make me all happy inside...mmmmm.

Anyways: 8 DAYS! SUBMIT NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE! Or whatever.

* * *

March 5th, 2008. I remember that day so clearly. It was the day I was first exposed to RENT.

On the morning school bus, I was looking for an empty seat in the back. I found one and sat down. Two of my friends, Elizabeth and Sara, were sitting together and reading a little colorful booklet. Or singing from it. I heard a few songs. They sounded off-key, but I could basically get the tune of some songs.

On the way home, I sat with Sara as Elizabeth sat in the seat across from us. Sara said, "Hey, Elizabeth, you pass the RENT songs over here?"

Elizabeth handed it to Sara and she opened it. I looked over her shoulder. She asked me, "Do you mind it I swear?"

I said no. I mean it was the bus. Everyone swore once in a while at least. She smiled and sang a song called Tango: Maureen.

A few days later, Elizabeth and Sara were singing I'll Cover You. I asked, "What's that from?" Finally.

"A movie. Called RENT."

Soon enough, I was asking questions about it. On the booklet was the cast. Sara explained it to me:

"See those two? They are lesbian together. They are called Joanne and Maureen. And him: He's gay. Collins. That's Mimi. She's a stripper with AIDS 'cause of drugs. That girl over there, is a guy. He's gay too. Has AIDS. So does Collins. They were together. And that guy is Roger. He plays the guitar and had AIDS. And Mark. That dude. He DOESN'T have AIDS. And the black one is Benny…"

One day, I was wandering around Half-Price Books and looked at the movie section.

RENT. I quickly grabbed it and bought it. At home, I tried to watch it alone, but my 6 year old sister wanted to see it, too. We got to Tango: Maureen, when I said, "Bedtime." This movie wasn't for 1st graders.

I watched with the DVD player with my friend, who skipped all the songs. Grr.

A week later, I had a chance to watch it alone. As soon as I got to Rent, I was hooked. I'm not a fan of musicals. I fell asleep during Mary Poppins!

But, RENT. I loved it. I had no words for it. I talked about all day and night and at school and sill wasn't sick of it! And recently, I watched the OBC version of RENT on Youtube. I loved it, too!

And now, every night, I thank Jonathon Larson. And promise to make all of my friends RENT-heads, too.

By Shina


	99. Twilightwicked5678

Hey, here's another awesome account! I have two more to do, but the library is gonna boot me off the computer pretty soon, so those will be posted tomorrow or the next day. Never fear, they will appear.

Deadline: 7 DAYS LEFT! ONE WEEK!

* * *

Well, my friend had always been obsessed with RENT, trying to get me to watch it. As usual with her obsessions, I ignored her at first. But then, for Christmas last year, my brother got me RENT. Fittingly, I watched RENT for the first time on Christmas 2007.

I had heard Seasons of Love before and assumed that it would be another boring movie about friends and what happens when one dies. But I could never have been more wrong.

By the time Light My Candle had come along I was hooked. I thought the movie was funny and interesting. As soon as Today 4 U came, Angel was my favorite character. She still is. By La Vie Boheme, I was bouncing on the couch and singing along. I cried my eyes out when Angel died, rocked out to What You Own, and was on the edge of my seat by the Finale. At the end, I knew that RENT would not be leaving my heart any time soon.

My mother did not share my feelings. She HATED the movie with all her being. She still does, meaning I have to watch it only when she's not around. But I don't care. I love this movie (and the musical soundtrack) so much. I plan on seeing the musical when it goes on tour. RENT has taught so much about love, not buying into stereotypes, and "No Day But Today". RENT will always be a part of me. Thank you RENT. And thank you Jonathon Larson.

By Twilightwicked5678


	100. xxNOxDAYxBUTxTODAYxx

This one was a bit confusing, timeline-wise, and hell to edit. Ah, well. I fixed it up and now it's fun.

* * *

A little girl sat in the chair by the window sill, her parents (for the 50th time) were out for the night and she was with the babysitter.

"Erin, can we watch a movie?" she asked.

"Sure, let's see what your dad has." Erin answered. Eventually she came upon one that looked interesting. "Rent?" she said  
to herself. "Well, it's worth a shot."

So she put the movie in. It started playing and we were watching; although I never understood what was going on so eventually I nodded off to sleep. When I woke up, Will I was finishing and Out Tonight was starting. When Mimi started dancing, Erin turned it off.

"Ok, let's get you to bed!" she said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because that movie is bad." she said

"But why they were just singing?" Erin rolled her eyes, since my 10 year old brain couldn't get the concept and it was frustrating her.

"Your mom and dad left me in charge; now go to BED!" Patiently I obliged and didn't see that movie again...for long.

3 years later, I was 13 and as usual I was on the couch watchin TV. I was flipping through channels trying to find something semi-entertaining when I got to RENT. I was in the middle of La Vie Boheme, and I didn't know why but I felt like I'd seen the movie before. Since I wanted to see the whole thing and not just the middle and end, I went on a search through my parents DVD collection until I found it. I popped it in and started watching. I danced during Out Tonight and cried during the funeral. By the time it had ended I was amazed.

"Wow," I said to myself. Just then, my friend called.

"Hey, you wanna come outside?" she asked me.

"Ok. I just watched the coolest movie. You have to come watch it!" I was on a complete high.

"Ok ok don't rip my throat out! I'll be right down!"

When we were finished watching it, she was looking on in disgust. "whats wrong?" I asked her.

"THERE WAS GAY PEOPLE!" She sounded really freaked.

"Soo?" I asked. We already knew what gay and lesbian and stuff meant.

"So it's gross!" I was so mad; how could she say that?

"Umm...don't you have to be home for dinner?" I asked her.

"Oh yeah; shoot, I gotta go." And with that she ran out the door. I used to be like her, thinking that homosexuals were gross and that AIDS was funny and not our problem, but RENT opened my eyes. The next few weeks I downloaded everything: mp3s, lyrics, you name it! I was on a RENT frenzy!!

RENT changed my life and I hope it will continue to change lives long after it's done. It also helped me discover myself; I had never even thought of being an  
actress before this and now I wanted to be just like Idina Menzel! Singing onstage, feeling all eyes on you!

RENT is just amazing and Jonathan Larson's vison for RENT was completely fufilled and I feel so bad he couldn't see it! Thanks Jonathan Larson and thanks to all the actors!

By xxNOxDAYxBUTxTODAYxx


	101. DreamerChick

Tracie Thoms as Joanne onstage...how weird is that? Awesome and weird, I mean. She auditioned for the Broadway cast twelve years ago, and didn't make it: now she's the best known Joanne, she was in the movie, and she's finally on Broadway, performing the in the closing cast. If ever there was a case of dreams coming true...and I'm happy for her. I will always mourn Daphne and Fredi's absence from the film, because they are my favorites and always will be, but I also love Tracie and she makes me happy. If anyone could get this, I'm glad it's her.

Eh. Read ze beautiful account.

* * *

RENT came into my life when I seriously didn't have a bloody clue who I really was anymore. Or what the hell I was going to do with my life. I was 19, and I had just dropped out of a super nice private all-girls college--okay, all-women's college. And it will sound over-dramatic but it's 100 percent true, I had just been dumped by my first love. To top it off, my father was ignoring me 'cause I told him I might possibly be homosexual. 19 was NOT my finest year. I was working fullish time at Pizza Hut and living at home with my mother and brother (my parents have been divorced for 8 years now--so 5 then and my dad lives still about 2 1/2 hours from me). One of them, I still can't remember who, rented RENT one night while I was at work. This was during the time I was working six days a week, so Sundays were my only day off. I was told I might like it, and then they left to do whatever. I really hadn't found my place back at home yet.

So, I sat in the den on the couch that I also was sleeping on at the time. I put it in the DVD player and it passed my first test--capture my attention in the first 30 minutes. It had me hooked in the first 6 or 7. 'Cause while I wish "Seasons of Love" had captured me at first, it didn't. The song "Rent" had me though. I was pulled into the world of Mark and Roger and their struggle to just survive. And I was quickly addicted to Anthony, Adam and Jesse's voices.

"One Song Glory" hooked me even further--and I became an Adam fangirl.

"Light My Candle" was amazing and I eventually fell into a crush on Rosario.

"Out Tonight" was amazingly flirty and "Another Day" was just so powerful and beautifully done. "Over the Moon" to this day makes me a little confused. Too abstract and the imagery doesn't yet make since to me. It's just fun to "Mooooooooooooo" at the TV screen or in the audience.

And "La Vie Boheme" still qualifies as my favorite song. It really does celebrate a lot of who I am. I've always been a person who is who they are and so what about other people. It's genetic from my mom's side. The suburban-yet-bohemian way of life flows in my blood. So while I'll never fully be able to connect to the story, I connect with that desire to be "an us for once instead of a them." Also, in that song, my own struggle with my sexuality was celebrated. Not shunned. A toast to "Faggots, Lezzies, Dykes, Cross-Dressers too." and "To bi-sexuals, trisexuals." was new to me (up until about 8 years ago I lived in a small town with collectively small minds and the college I'd been going to was in Lynchburg, VA, home to Jerry Falwell, the epitome of homophobic ass).

After the joyous "La Vie Boheme" things slowly started to get more sad. "Without You" was killer sad. I don't cry at movies, but I can safely say I welled up when Angel died. And Mimi's withdrawals...I've never been a druggie nor will I be, but it was some powerful acting and I felt for her. And "Goodbye Love". Oh boy. "What You Own" was amazing. And then "Finale A/Your Eyes/Finale B" came. And I was so moved by the last few lines, especially when they end on a resounding "No day but today."

And RENT helped me, eventually, out of my funk. I started to stop mentally beating myself up for things in the past. It was just that. The past. It made me feel like I could be me again. It also became an obsession of mine. I bought the OBC recording and burned a friend's movie soundtrack. I became beyond obsessed. I finally received my own copy of RENT from the Previously Viewed bin at Blockbuster. Thank god for people with less taste in movies than I.

Eventually, thanks to the interwebs, I had mined all sorts of RENT trivia and had learned the tragic story of Jonathan Larson. And unlike most of my obsessions, this didn't fade. I've been addicted to RENT for 2 ½ years.

In April of this year, I saw RENT on stage for the first time. I fell in love all over again. And finally getting to see some of the songs that got cut, especially "Contact" was magical. The cast was amazing. Especially Heinz Winckler as Roger: that man can SING. He's no Adam, mind you, but he's damned good in his own right. They all were.

And just recently. I made the Renthead Journey to the Holiest Place of Worship. The Nederlander. I think I literally just stared at it for five minutes. I was scared to touch it. I really wish I was making that up. I just...it's overwhelming when you are there. I walked by, and I looked at the prices. I had no intention of GETTING tickets--this was a weekend trip to NYC to pick my bro up from his summer program at F.I.T. But mezzanine was only 55 bucks. And when I ran back to ask my mom and her boyfriend if they would bring me back, it turned into a family affair. And my third enounter with RENT, 2nd with the stage show, became my brother's girlfriend's first time. And she seemed to enjoy it. I wouldn't call her a Renthead yet but she got the movie for her 18th birthday, and if she hangs around long enough, I'm sure I'll recruit her.

And the Broadway cast currently is just amazing. Especially with Tracie Thoms as Joanne on stage now.

And I also dragged my family to the East Village that day. We ate at the Life Cafe and it was magical.

I really would like to see RENT once more before it closes. If I don't win the Finale B contest I entered while at the Life, then in 2009 there is one more tour coming around, with Anthony and Adam again. And in May it will go to DC. And I will pay any price just about to get good seats. 'Cause I want to see them together LIVE once. Especially for the fight in "Goodbye Love" and they way their voices blend so well in "What You Own". And to hear/see Adam do "Glory" live and to see Anthony's spaz-tastic dancing in "La Vie Boheme" up close and personal? It would make me ridculously happy.

Anyway, that was rambly. I apologize. So to end, I will just say what I wrote in 5 colors of Sharpie that I bought just to write on the wall outside the Nederlander.

"Viva! La Vie Boheme!" "Viva RENT!" "Viva! Rentheads"

By Lauren aka DreamerChick


	102. tae1kwon6do97

This is so nice, it made me all smiley inside. And yes, I am talking strangely, but I just got home from the Cape and my brain is just starting to work again. (Shina's story was published a few chapters ago, go read it...or reread it).

* * *

November 23rd, 2005. The day RENT came out in theaters. I had never heard of it before and did not particularly want to see it. But, my 14-year-old sister (now she's 17) did. She watched it with a couple of friends, and somehow laughed through the whole thing.

A few weeks later, my sister put in a RENT CD as we pulled out of the driveway. My dad was then curious about what the musical was about and how my sister had liked it. The way my sister explained it, it was all about drunks who were poor and dying. That didn't exactly spark my interest. I would hear her play the songs from RENT often, and I fell in love with them. The only problem was that I didn't know that those songs were the songs from RENT. Until…

My friend Shina was exposed to RENT on March 5th, 2008. (You might have read her story). The moment she fell in love with it, she asked me and a couple other friends whether we had seen it, or even heard of it for that matter. Only a couple people had seen it, and only I had just heard of it. I explained to Shina what I had heard, and she immediately knew that my first impression of RENT was horrible. So she started by explaining the main storyline, and I immediately fell in love with the whole thing. But before she had time to explain any details, the recess bell rang. So the rest was up to me to find out.

My sister fell more and more in love with RENT, and I finally understood why. She now not only had the soundtrack, but the book of sheet music too. I decided the first way I should start getting to know more about RENT was to learn all the songs. I started with the first song in the book, Seasons of Love, and immediately recognized it. I kept going through the songs, sitting next to the piano so that I could get the melody. Hours later I was at the last song in the book, Love Heals, which is not actually in the movie or the OBC, but it is in the soundtrack. Love Heals is now my favorite song that is written by Jonathan Larson and his crew. I love the fact that it starts out kind of slow and quiet and then slowly builds up tempo and gets louder as well.

Anyways, after that day, I was hooked. I needed to know more, but how? At that time I did not know that Shina owned the movie. So I found my own ways. Like listening in on conversations in the topic of RENT (most of them started by a friend, which made it easy) and looking it up on the Internet. Slowly, my knowledge on RENT was building up. Then came the day that I found out that Shina owned RENT. We both agreed that I needed to go over to her house and watch it. But it was put off and put off for a very long time. But one day very soon after school was out, we finally did it. It was difficult because of her little sister, but we did it. The horrible part was that we didn't make it through the whole thing. My mom came before we could finish it. We didn't even make it to the song Take Me Or Leave Me. Sure, I knew (and still know of course) the entire storyline, but I still needed to finish it.

To this very day I have not watched the entire movie. But no worries, my friends and I are having a party at Shina's house in a couple weeks, and we're going to watch RENT because most of our friends have not yet seen RENT. And also for my sake. And very soon after that, I will be watching it again, because me, Shina, and Sara (who introduced RENT to Shina) are having a RENT party. Every single thing we do will be RENT related. But _why_ are we having a RENT party you may ask? Well, it is because RENT is going off Broadway. **(sob)** But it is a party in honor of RENT. We are having it as close to the day that RENT is going off Broadway, of course. But sadly, we might not be able to get it on the exact date since school will have started already by then.

Now I am also reading a book called Without You a Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical RENT by Anthony Rapp. It is an amazingly wonderful book and anyone who reads my story should also read this book. Not only is it sort of behind the scenes in the OBC RENT, but is also extremely inspiring.

Everyone owes a huge thank you to Jonathan Larson and needs to spread the love of the musical RENT.

By Laura aka tae1kwon6do97)


	103. Hannah

Yay, very nice. And from the UK, if I am not mistaken.

Something very exciting might happen next. Stay tuned...

* * *

June 20th, 3:30 pm, Greenwich Mean Time: from here on in, there's no day but today.

I bought the DVD of the musical on the last day of my GCSEs, I can't really remember why; I had HMV vouchers, and a couple of hours of free time so it seemed like a good idea to try something new. I watched it as soon as I got home, thankfully in an empty house as I danced through most of Today 4 You and sobbed through Angel's entire funeral. I'd never cried during a film before; only once after I saw that film where the two dogs and a cat run away from home, but that's a different story (and probably one for the psychiatrists).

It was great to find something so powerful. My favourite song was La Vie Boheme at first. I think it really helped me to be ok with who I am and to realise that it doesn't matter what every one else thinks. Seasons of Love taught me that love and friendship are way more important than reports and exam results, believe it or not; I used to think it was the other way round. Anyways, since then my list of favourite songs and characters has grown to include, well, every song and every character, but I think I'll always love Collins and Angel together the best and also Mark.

Before Rent I shied away from what I really wanted to do with my life because I thought that other people would be against it. I go to a grammar school, all my friends want to be doctors or accountants, my mum's a lawyer, sometimes they can be a bit uptight (ok all the time). I'm glad I'm not like that. All I've ever really wanted to do is to direct films or plays, or write them, I'm not fussy. Looking back on it now it seems so simple, it doesn't matter what they think.

From that day I've decided to embrace life and live for now with the people that I really care about. Being true to who I am is the most important thing

Thank you Jonathon Larson. RENT has really changed my life

By Hannah


	104. tormented eyes

Good news: it's mah birfday! Or my birthday, whatever. Huzzah. I got fun stuff, like Daphne's first CD "Souvenirs" which is really good, the OBC album (in the flesh, only had the music before), LOTR Extendeds, xkcd t-shirt, scarves and prettiness...yes, this is mostly musical/webcomic/Tolkien dorkiness, but I is pleased.

Bad news: my computer has a virus, so I'm on my mom's. Dang it all...

Fantasmagorical news: This is the 100th (amazing) account posted. Not the 100th chapter, the 100th post. Oh. My. God.

You guys are incredible. Fantastic. Amazing. Every single frigging author who sent something in, whether it's posted or not (and there are a few who aren't) is part of this amazing, insane bunch of RENTheads. Thank you all so much, from the bottom of my heart. You made this a wonderful birthday and a wonderful year. Keep the RENT Faith. Keep the love. And keep writing, every single one of you. Please.

* * *

Well, my first time was an... experience.

I had been watching some stupid thing on TV when this preview came on. I heard music, so I looked up. While watching it, I was intrigued. I mean, it was an alluring preview, but it didn't really say what the movie was about. I put November 23rd on my "must leave this day open" list. I kept seeing the preview every now and then, and I couldn't wait to see it. Then, tragedy struck.

Hurricane Katrina hit Chalmette, my hometown in Louisiana. My two story house was flooded; a foot of water breeched the second floor. I had to relocate to Florida and was in a state of depression. My family was split up, and most of my possessions were gone. But that's not really the point. The point is I was kept from seeing the wonderful movie due to my retarded depression, looking back on it of course.

Well, one day my sister up and decides we're to see a movie. I didn't want to leave the house (let's face it, I was a friggin hermit) but went anyway. I let her pick our movie; I was detached from life. So cliché, I know. Luckily (or ironically) for me, she picked Rent. We get in the theater and found seats. There were only two other people there. I had thought, _Oh great, another suckfest movie._ My sister had this gift of picking the WORST movies to watch. So, I sat back and prepared myself for torture.

I was speechless. I had always been a musical fan. But this was not a musical. Musicals were bright, happy, sappy, fun things to lose yourself in. This was different, though; this was real life. I fell in love with the characters, the people who were just that, people, real and true. I loved them so much that I started writing fanfiction. And, while most of my stories tend to be on the slashy side, I love all characters and pairings, canon or otherwise.

I connected most to Roger and Mark. They are my favorite characters. I just loved their story, their emotions, and their friendship. And the story was just... I don't know. It just pulls you in. I cried. And let me tell you, I do not cry in front of anyone. But I cried. Three times: when Angel died, when Roger came back and he and Mark embraced, and when Mimi had her near-death experience. I just bawled. A first.

Another first for me was seeing gay and lesbian characters treated realistically. I was really happy about that. I'd been in the closet since sixth grade, only nearing four years, and I was terrified of coming out to my family. Mostly because of the whole "it's an abomination" thing my parents had in their minds. But the movie helped me know it was okay. I'm still not out to my family, but I'm no longer ashamed to be who I am. If they find out, so be it. I am who I am and don't want to hide it.

The movie also helped me realize I shouldn't waste my days in depression because something bad happened. Forget regret or life is yours to miss, and all. I listened.

Thanks to Rent, I started living again. And I _feel_ alive. Now, I have a good life and a new motto. I'm sure you know what motto that is. Yep, you got it: Merry Christmas, Bitches!

No, no, I kid. XD

It's _No Day But Today._ I'm glad and proud to say I'm a RENThead, though not a rabid one. That's not to say I'm sane, though. On the contrary, I'm quite insane, but in a good way.

Well, that was my first time. My first with Rent which led to my first time actually living. I can honestly say that I might not be here if it weren't for Jonathan Larson's brilliant creation. I don't know what I'll do when the final bow is taken on the 7th, but I think I'll be okay. I'll always have Rent in my heart, its characters a part of my soul.

Thank you, Jonathan, truly, from the bottom of my heart. You created a masterpiece, a work of love.

With love,

Alison aka tormented eyes


	105. Japple Jacks

Happy beyond. That's what all of this makes me. No more to say on the subject...except this:

THERE ARE STILL FIVE DAYS LEFT! SEND STUFF IN!!

* * *

My aunt called me the day before my birthday. She had a special surprise for me. "I got three tickets to see RENT at the Pantages Theatre in L.A."

I was blown away. I had heard about it before from my friends older sister who loved it. I couldn't have been happier.

As November rolled in, my mom, my aunt, and I went to see it. It was the first play I could remember seeing. (I had gone when I was five to see something else.) And it was magic. My mother liked it, but me and my aunt had fallen in love with Jonathan Larson's brilliant musical. She also got me the soundtrack. I had learned every word within a week of receiving it. I wanted so bad to get up and dance with them during "La Vie Boheme".

So I had interrogated my friends to see if they knew anything about this masterpiece. Some had, about four, and one mentioned the movie. I begged my mom to rent it, and she agreed. We watched it that night and I sobbed throughout the song "Without You". I had done that at the musical, too. I swore my heart broke seeing Collins so lonely. I wanted to curse Rosario Dawson for singing that song so beautifully that it made me cry. So, I decided to love her instead.

Everything about RENT has changed my life for the better. I live every moment as my last, moo at every opportunity, and dance on tables while singing "La Vie Boheme".

By Marissa aka Japple Jacks


	106. Mia

This was AWESOME...and almost no need for editing! Yay. Now, another post or two before Phia and I watch Olympics swimming.

* * *

Well, my RENT obsession really starts with my Wicked obsession. Some of my friends are obsessed with Wicked, and they wanted to do a couple of songs for our end-of-year production. So I screamed "TO WIKIPEDIA!" to find out more about Wicked. While reading, I read up on Idina Menzel. It said she was in RENT. So I read up on RENT. I didn't really get the plot, but I said "Idina's in it! I wanna watch it!!" so I BEGGED my mom to let me rent RENT. We were going on an RV trip in a few days, and I told my mom, "I NEED something to watch". I must have told her that fifty times. Finally, she relented. So I went to BlockBuster and searched through the Drama section. I finally found it. And I skipped over to the checkout counter and let my dad pay for it.

But the deal to me watching it was I had to wait till we were on the road. So I stayed up til 11 watching the videos on Youtube. I was sure I had heard 'Seasons of Love' and 'What You Own' before. I remember thinking 'La Vie Boheme' was amazing, even though I wasn't used to all the cursing.

Fast forward 12 hours. I'm bouncing in the RV, really bored. I hadn't let go of RENT all night. I looked at my mom and mouthed the words "Can I watch it? Please?" and she nodded. So I set up the DVD player and popped it in. The next two hours and ten minutes were heaven. I hummed with 'Seasons of Love', stopped breathing with 'RENT', swayed with 'Light My Candle', bounced in my seat to 'Today 4 U', watched 'Tango: Maureen' without blinking, melted with 'I'll Cover You', mooed with 'Over the Moon', screamed with 'La Vie Boheme A&B', shook with unshed tears during 'Without you' , sobbed heart-wrenching sobs during 'I'll Cover You (Reprise)' and 'Goodbye Love', and had a small heart attack during both 'Finales'. After it was done I watched again. And again. I stayed up til three in the morning watching it, watching it with the commentary, watching all the bonus stuff, and totally obsessing over the miracle called RENT.

As soon as I got home I ordered the movie cast CD. I made my family listen to all the clean songs. A few weeks later I ordered the RENT bible and the OBC album.

I've also got my six year old brother obsessing with me! It's the first obsession we share. He LOVES 'Today 4 U', 'Over the Moon', and 'Take Me or Leave Me'. I've never been so proud when he started singing 'Take Me or Leave Me' in a crowded restaurant. Oh, the looks the diners were giving me...

RENT has really changed my life. I knew there were GLBTs out there, but I didn't know any. RENT helped me discover who I really am. RENT matured me (something my parents don't like). RENT has become my passion, my heart. I can't believe who amazing it is. RENT has given me something to live for, and as cheesy as it sounds, a new way of life. A new dream. I have made many new friends through RENT. And I know I'll always love RENT with all my heart.

And something my mom does like, it has started me writing 24/7. I used to hate creative writing. My mom used to have to pay an arm and a leg for me to write ANYTHING. But through fanfiction and RENT I have embraced it.

THANK YOU JONATHAN LARSON!!

Signed,

Mia or Dr. Crazy Homeschooler. Or just plain Crazy.


	107. Shina, or MooWithTheCookieMonster

Awww. Warm fuzzies within.

* * *

This is a poem I decided to write:

_If you are reading this, you must know about RENT,_

_The beautiful musical that Jonathon Larson sent._

_RENT is about eight friends, some with only a few years left_

_Who struggle through pain, love and death_

_Remember as RENT was still only blooming_

_Many believed in the love it one day may be consuming_

_RENT is not just any musical_

_It is one that has a soul_

_RENT has helped us clear the way_

_Of hate and stereotypes that are astray_

_As we all adore this masterpiece_

_Some refuse to let it leave in peace_

_But we and RENT shall never part_

_For we will hold it in our hearts_

**-Shina (MooWithTheCookieMonster) **


	108. Gema

Good god, this is lovely. And oh my lord...3. Days. Left.

* * *

Let's see…what can I say about my first time?

Well, it was messy and spontaneous and completely wonderful.

I saw RENT for the first time three weeks before my thirteenth birthday. I was stuck at home on a Friday night, babysitting my brother and sister and when they had gone to bed, I went to do what I usually did--watch television.

While channel surfing, I came upon the movie version of RENT playing on the FX channel. My friends Maria and Colleen were RENTheads and had been trying to convince me to see the movie for weeks. Since I didn't really want to stay up to watch the whole thing, I ended up recording the movie and instead watched _The Hills _for the next two hours. Ah, if I only knew then what I was missing.

Very early the next morning, I woke up at about 3 A.M and couldn't get back to sleep. I snuck downstairs to the television room, and as I browsed the contents of the DVR, I came upon the recording I had set the night before. Thinking I had nothing to lose, I put it on.

For the next hour and a half, I sat, completely astounded.

Now, let me tell you, I have a very short attention span. I'm terrible to watch movies with because I talk through out the entire thing with commentaries about the film. If I'm watching alone, I always have a book or my iPod near by in case I lose interest. But not this time.

I stayed completely fixated on the screen, captivated by the characters, the music, and the entire whole of the musical. I fell in love with Mark, the cute, awkward film maker with the cool scarf and Angel, the sweet, caring drag queen. I adored all the characters, but those two in particular made me smile.

After "Without You" played, it cut to a commercial and I quickly fast-forwarded through it, desperate to know what happened. When it opened up on the funeral scene, I couldn't believe. For a minute or two, I was in denial. I rewound at least five times, trying to convince myself that the person in the picture on the casket _was not Angel_. When I heard the eulogies, though, I knew it was true and, without warning, I began to cry.

It was probably a sight to behold, me, curled up in my blanket, sobbing my eyes out at 4 in the morning. That was when I knew that this was going to be my new obsession.

After I finished it the first time, I went back and watched the entire movie again and when my friends came to sleep over the next night, the first words out of my mouth when they arrived was "You have to see this movie I watched last night. It's _incredible._"

And with that, I was in love. I downloaded the movie soundtrack and the Original Broadway Cast Recording. I began to write fan fiction for it. I joined countless forums so I could talk with other people who loved the play like I did. I looked up the dates for when the show was going to be playing on Broadway.

And that's when I heard the news. RENT was ending. And I wasn't even going to be able to see it. I got the idea to write a letter to Jonathon Larson, the man who wrote this masterpiece. When attempting to look up his address or agent's address, I stumbled upon this. "Jonathon Larson, writer and composer of the Pulitzer and Tony award winning musical _RENT_ died the day before opening night of an aortic aneurysm. He was 35." I was stunned into silence. How could someone so smart and so talented be dead? How could life be so unfair? How could something suck this much?

Determined to not let Jonathon's memory die, I continued to obsess over the play. I made plans to visit Jonathon's grave when my family goes to Albany next year. I'm seeing the show four times when it comes to Chicago on the 2009 tour. (With Adam and Anthony!) I've gotten a good portion of my friends to become genuine RENT-heads.

And sometimes, when it's 3 in the morning and I can't sleep, I sneak down to my television room and watch the recording that started it all.

To The Larson's- Thank you so much for all that you've done to help keep Jonathon's memory alive. I hope that all these accounts of people so touched by your son's work will help you know that he will be forever in the hearts of the world.

Thank you, Jonathon Larson.

By Gema


	109. ThinkWonderDream

1 day left. Oh. my God.

I will accept submissions tomorrow, but that's it. Get 'em in!

Also, pray to the Holy Larson for me. You think I'm kidding, but I'm not. Something very big and RENT-related is happening to me, and if it, by some Larsonic miracle, actually happens, I will promptly die of happiness (and then tell you all about it). So please, just send up a little thing for me. Love to all.

* * *

Isn't it odd that the person who seems least likely to affect your life affects it in a truly profound way? Or that even the tiniest action can affect your life in a way that you've been changed (for the better)?

That was what it was like for me.

The time was last year, summer 2007.

Probably July. Around my birthday. My Aunt Karan had recently gone to a concert for a local a capella band.

When we headed to my Grandma's house the next week to hang out, she spent the whole time raving about it. "Maureen, it was awesome, you should've been there," and then she mentioned that she bought their CD and offered to borrow it to me.

I decided to humor her and took it from her, listening to it in the car on the way to my sister's softball game. My mom thought it was hilarious, but I wasn't sure.

The album was all covers of popular songs from the eighties and nineties, and my young brain had not understood it.

There was one song, however, that really popped out at me, and that was "Seasons of Love".

The harmonies that they had added made me smile, and I googled the lyrics to the song that night.

I read the rest of the lyrics from RENT and cried when my aunt forced me to give her back the CD.

Several weeks later, I realized that I had seen RENT before, when I went to my relative's house. I think I was eleven or twelve, and the rest of my family was seventeen to twenty, and I desperately wanted nothing more than to hang out with them.

They allowed me to watch RENT with them, but kicked me out before La Vie Boheme, telling me that it wasn't appropriate.

Fast forward to October 2007. I wanted to watch RENT desperately, but the one time my mom would let me, I had two friends over.

One of them, Hannah, had seen RENT before, but Anna hadn't. We decided to watch it, starting it around ten at night. Hannah was giving me little tidbits of information and she'd point out who was who and little background stuff.

However, Anna, a bit of a homophobe, got bored and made us turn it off during "Tango: Maureen". The next day, she left two hours before Hannah, and we finished watching it. I cried and cried during the funeral and all of "Without You", and had a hard time controlling myself during the rest of the movie.

Now, I'm obsessed with RENT to the highest degree.

My binders and folders for school are covered with RENT and "I (heart) Maureen". You can't go anywhere without me connecting it to RENT.

I've gotten many of my friends addicted to RENT,

RENT also taught me that it's okay to be who I am. I was afraid of admitting to even myself who I truly was, but seeing Maureen and Joanne, two people who were strong in who they are, gave me the strength to admit it.

I'm hoping to see the tour when it comes around, because I live in the boondocks, where RENT is very unheard of, but until then, I'll deal with my OBC and Movie cast CDs.

Goodbye RENT. Thank you Jonathan Larson. No day but today.

By DramaDramaMaureen, aka Maureen, aka Mo.


	110. Dayna Marie

Posting in a hurry. Will have more to say tonight. Laters.

* * *

In 2007, about three fourths of the way through 7th grade, I suddenly became addicted with musicals because Lord knows why. I had been involved with musicals since 4th grade but they has never been that important. I was renting all themovies I could get my hands on and begging my parents for the soundtracks. I'm not sure what dragged me to RENT but I'm glad it did. The first time I did anything involving it was simply reading the script of the stage musical online.

I didn't know the tunes to any of the songs but the words still kept me interested. It was so captivating that even just reading it made me cry at the death of Angel. I suddenly found myself getting a hold of the DVD, CDs, and whatever else I could. It was an addiction I never wanted to end. Throughout the short time I have been involved with this passion many of my friends have been dragged into it by me.

When I finally got a hold of the movie I was fascinated. The first beats of the title song played and I felt pulled into the film. The anger and passion. I started dragging my friends into the fandom who in turn brought some more into the circle spreading like a (very small) wildfire.

When I read the news about the show closing on Broadway it was right before I went to school. Needless to say I arrived with red eyes from my crying. We had been planning to go to New York in the Summer but it would be too late. My mother talked to some friends at work, found out the tour would be near us in February, and bought me tickets. Of course I was happy but it wasn't the same.

As luck had it the show was expanded to where it would still be open on our NY trip. Mom complained about having to see again but I eventually convinced her how important it was to me. I could never, and will never, get tired of seeing RENT. I could watch it all day and be happy.

Seeing RENT go will be a depressing time for us all. I wanted my children to be able to see this show on the stage but know it may never happen. We can all at least be happy that the show will live on forever in not only media, but in our hearts, and fan fiction.

With Love,

Dayna Marie


	111. ByTheBeautifulSea

Hoo boy. The last day of posting. Somebody give me something to hug...like Anthony or Adam. Or Jesse, yeah, give me Jesse to hug.

Sorry about the above, I am stressed to the max right now. Hope you're all having fun with your lives, keep on writing until the very last second!

* * *

Hey guys! Umm, yeah, sorry this is kind of long, but something like this really can't really be explained in a couple of short quick sentences.Well, I guess the story of the event that changed my life forever can't really be summed up in a couple of words. Of course, it isn't really quite that simple.

It all started about two years ago, when everyone was talking about this musical called RENT. Our concert choir at school sang Seasons of Love for a concert, and I immediately got caught up in the catchy tune and the energy of the song. I had it stuck in my head for about 2 weeks. My friends and I were always singing it, which was strange, considering I didn't particularly like the song that much. I mean, I liked it the first time I heard it, but I wasn't super eager to listen to it again. And singing and listening to a song time after time after time can start to get pretty annoying, especially if you barely know the song, except for 3 sentences in the beginning.

Needless to say I was starting to get sick of it. I started trying to block the song out of my mind. I stopped thinking about the catchy tune and hypnotizing lyrics and eventually, I forgot about it. Occasionally, I would hear other people singing it, but it didn't mean much to me anymore. Not until one year later.

It all started up again, July 27, 2007. I was flipping through my Ipod playlist (which my best friend just happened to control), and I saw Rent on the list. I barely knew what Rent was about, I had never seen before, and the only song I knew was Seasons of Love, so I decided to give the rest of the music a try. I listened, and soon fell in love with 5 songs from the musical. Yes, just 5. I had obsessively started listening to Seasons of Love, Rent, The Tango: Maureen, Out Tonight, and Another Day. But I just couldn't bring myself to watch it yet.

I asked one of my friends, "Have you seen Rent?" She only replied with, "Who hasn't seen Rent?"

I took that as a, "Yes," and then decided that it was my mission to see Rent. When I went to the video store later that day, I found it. I was so excited; I held it tightly all during the ride home, knowing it was going to be awesome. The first time I watched it--I couldn't remember crying that much in my entire life! During Without You, Angel's funeral, and Goodbye Love, the tears just wouldn't stop coming. When Roger came back and discovered what had happened to Mimi, all I could remember thinking was that she had to be okay, and that was all that mattered. I just wouldn't be able to bear it if Mimi died, if she did--the tears would never stop. When I heard Maureen shout for help, claiming, "We can't get her up the stairs. Hurry up, please!" I found myself getting teary-eyed again. As soon as Roger and the others rushed down to help her, I found myself crying as naturally as I laughed. It continued, when Roger sang his song, and when Mimi finally died--I was bawling, so loudly I was surprised nobody came rushing in to see what was the matter with me. While sitting there, crying my eyes out, I remember yelling at the TV, swearing at the writers for making her die.

"Wasn't Angel enough?" I shouted. "Why take Mimi away from Roger, too?" I loved the movie, yet hated it, for what had happened to poor Roger and poor Collins. How could they have done that?! Roger hit the final "Mimi!" of the song, and I knew that I would never get over this. Screw the fact that they were fictional characters, this was still one of the saddest things I had ever experienced in my life! I saw the camera closing in on Mimi's hand. What are they doing? I thought the impossible. Could they...nah! But my eyes were glued to the screen. When I saw Mimi's hand move, I froze. It moved again, then again. When Mimi finally revived, I could never have been happier. I was cheering for the TV, jumping up and down and all around! And I was still crying! The movie finally finished, and the tears were still coming down, yet I had never been happier in my life. Normally, I would have sat down and watched it again, but I knew I couldn't bear to cry anymore that day, if I even had any tears left to shed.

But I did cry. For the first, second, third, even the forth time I watched it. I cried. And to this day, I still get tear-eyed, even cry, every single time.

About 2 months ago, I watched the alternate ending on the DVD. Just the alternate ending. When Angel came out, I found myself crying again. I hadn't been feeling particularly sad, but the tears just started flowing anyway. When it was over, the tears stopped and the sad feeling was gone. I didn't know until then, just how much emotion RENT could draw out of me. It affected me deeply, and gave me a whole new outlook in life. If anything, for the better. Letting me know that I shouldn't hold back in life.

I found the RENT Bible in the library one day, and I just couldn't resist. But when it was due, I just couldn't bring myself to return it. I just had to keep renting it out, until it drove my parents to near insanity. Just last month, I found it at Barnes and Noble. Yes, it did cost 30, but it was money I was willing to spend. I read it every day, nearly have it memorized, and have not gotten bored with it yet! And I know I never will.

May 18, 2008:

I saw RENT for the first time--the Broadway version. I had been planning it for months, since January, 2008. When my dad and I finally went to see it (yes, my dad was actually interested in seeing it, plus, I couldn"t drive there myself), I was amazed. Sure, I did see it at the Flint Center in San Jose, instead of on Broadway and sure, the cast may not have been the same, but it was still the most wonderful moment of my life. I still remember mooing with Maureen, during her protest! I had begged my parents to let me go see it again the next day, but alas. Although I only saw it once, I remember every moment of it. I hope to see it again someday, maybe even be in a production of it!

After seeing RENT for the first time, I thought I was obsessed. After seeing the Broadway version of RENT for the first time, the obsession got bigger. I listened to nothing but RENT for literally, 34 straight months. Needless to say, I was freaking a lot of my friends out. But, I even managed to get some of them obsessed, too! Other obsessions came and went, but I don't think anything will ever come close to my obsession with RENT. And the obsession just gets stronger every day. As weird as that sounds, it's true. And I know that it will never go away, get replaced--RENT will never be removed from my life. I thank my two best friends every day for letting RENT into my life. I don't know what I do without it, or how boring my life would be without it. I have started writing fanfics about it, even making homemade RENT videos. I have had long discussions with my friends about it. Even my dad has gotten obsessed with it!

I worship Mark's awesome dance moves and hilarious facial expressions, Mimi's dancing ability, Maureen's and Joanne's singing voices, Collins' intelligence and sense of humor, Roger's songwriting and guitar-playing ability, Angel's fashion sense, and Benny's ability to be rich and still be bohemian. I have actually discovered something about myself--I am Bohemian. No, I haven't tried to be and claimed that I am, it's been inside me all along. RENT is what brought it out. RENT is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I could not be happier that I have let RENT become part of my life. I have always loved musical theater, but RENT is what got me officially obsessed, and made me really determined to make it my future career.

RENT is about accepting people for who they are. No matter how they act, how they dress, or what they do for a living.

RENT is about living each day to the fullest.

RENT is about living for no day but today.

RENT is about being there for your friends and yourself.

RENT is about being yourself.

RENT is about never giving up on your dreams.

RENT has taught me many lessons, but nothing more important than these. Bohemia isn't dead. And don't worry about it ever going away, because I will sure to bring it back!

Thank you Jonathon Larson for creating RENT!

Thank you Chris Columbus for making RENT into a movie! If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be sitting here, writing this.

Thank you Brianna and Emily for getting me hooked on RENT!

Thank you PandaFire McMango for listening to our rants and helping us share them with the world! (You're welcome, heh--Panda)

And thank you to everyone who reads this! Please feel free to contact me, because I would love to talk to you more about this! It's good to know that we RENTheads have someone to listen to us ranting about our RENT obsessions!

ByTheBeautifulSea


	112. The End

Ok, guys. That's it. The end.

I want to thank every author who took the time to sit down and share these moments of their lives with me and all other RENTheads. It's a brave and beautiful thing to do, and every one of you should be so proud of yourselves. RENT is ending soon, but in the last 100+ chapters we've compiled 107 beginnings.

107.

Jonathan Larson lived 35 years, and he died before he had even really started doing what he loved. When his life ended, he left us with something to love instead of him: something for his family and friends and thousands--millions--of people that he never knew. All of these human beings were touched by his work. This man, who lived in a world where people sank and never even tried to swim, wrote into a show all he could about the pain of his generation, and the confusion and fright that accompanied him and his friends. He said to his loved ones that he wanted to write music that would be remembered, music that would change people and make them realize how differences and similarities balance out into the ties of love and family that we cling to, especially in the worst times.

Every person who submitted their story to this collection was a subject of Jonathan's genius. He knew, with a certainty that Americans are hard put to retain in this day and age, that human emotions--love, above all--are the strongest forces we have at our disposal. By loving RENT, and seeing ourselves within the world that he captured on stage, we can reach out and find each other in a place where things like RENT--symbols of youth and love and strength and grief and support--are rare.

107 stories, over the course of 12 years. And that's just a single cup of water from the ocean.

107 beginnings. 107 changed people. 107 ways that the world is different because Jonathan Larson was here. If anything, we can be proud of that: we can give Jonathan a small fraction of what he deserves. I am not the same because of RENT. None of us are. And when you really think about that--changing a human being--it can seems like something small. But then again, it can be bigger than belief.

I am so proud and so grateful to have been able to read and share these stories. I am connected to so many others, those I have met and those I haven't, by a show that we all find ourselves in. I value this connection so much, and I do not underestimate it. I don't know quite how, but I will be there that last night, and I will pour every ounce of myself into celebrating RENT, and celebrating the people around me. You. The Larson family. Cast and crew. Everyone.

So thank you. Thank you for giving me what I never imagine I could have. Thank you for reaching out and trusting, to whatever degree, that your memories and love for RENT were safe with me.

Love,

Esther, the RENT Panda


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